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THE 


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3HP 


JL^ 


J)edal§  of  the  Jliano-^orte 


AND 


THEIR  RELATION  TO  PIANO-FORTE  PLAYING  AND 

THE  TEACHING  OF  COMPOSITION 

AND  ACOUSTICS. 

HAIR    LFCTURES    DELIVERED   AT    THE    CONSERVATORY   OF   MUSIC.  IN    VIEVNA, 

Ijy    HANS    SCH/WITT. 

Translated  by  FREDERICK   S.  LAW. 


171 2  £tyestyut  Sir. 

COPYRIGHT,  18<W,  BY    THEO.   PRESSEP- 


INTRODUCTION. 


-o- 


The  importance  of  the  pedal  as  an  adjunct  to  artistic  piano  playing  can  hardly 
he  overestimated.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  the  effect  of  almost  all  modern  piano 
music  (from  the  earliest  compositions  of  Thalberg  and  Liszt,)  depends  upon  its  skill- 
ful use,  and  yet  no  question  of  technic  has  been  so  much  neglected.  While  touch 
has  been  analyzed  in  the  most  minute  manner,  every  movement  of  finger,  wrist  and 
arm  noted  with  the  greatest  accuracy,  the  study  of  the  pedal,  as  Hsrr  Schmitt  re- 
marks, has  hardly  gone  beyond  the  standpoint  of  instinctive  feeling  on  the  part  of 
the  player.  To  demonstrate  the  importance  of  the  pedal  from  an  artistic  point  of 
view,  and  to  discover  the  causes  which  impel  the  finished  player  to  his  various  uses 
of  it  are  the  objects  of  the  following  work,  which  consists  of  four  lectures  originally 
delivered  by  Herr  Schmitt  in  the  Vienna  Conservatory  of  Music,  and  subsequently 
collected  and  published  in  book  form. 

( It  may  be  confidently  asserted  that  no  one  has  made  so  thorough  a  study  of  this 
subject  as  Herr  Schmitt,  and  the  practical  results  of  his  investigations,  together  with 
his  position  as  an  acknowledged  authority  on  the  question  of  pedal  effects,  are  such 
as  to  require  no  apology  for  an  English  translation  of  his  work.) 

He  relates  that  in  a  conversation  upon  the  subject  with  Anton  Rubinstein,  the 
latter  expressed  himself  as  follows:  "  I  consider  the  art  of  properly  using  the  pedal 
as  the  most  difficult  problem  of  higher  piano  playing,  and  if  we  have  not  as  yet  heard 
the  instrument  at  its  best,  the  fault  possibly  lies  in  the  fact  that  it  has  not  been  fully 
understood  how  to  exhaust  the  capabilities  of  the  pedal." 

As  Schmitt  justly  remarks,  this  utterance  from  the  lips  of  such  an  authority  is 
of  more  weight  as  to  the  importance  of  the  subject  and  its  present  position  than  any- 
thing else  that  can  be  adduced. 

The  student  is  recommended  to  read  this  work  at  the  piano  so  that  the  different 
uses  of  the  pedal  may  be  practically  tested  as  they  occur.  Where  practicable,  the 
instrument  should  be  a  full  grand  piano  in  perfect  tune,  to  ensure  the  production  of 
all  the  effects  herein  given,  this  being  a  point  upon  which  great  stress  is  laid  by  the 
author. 

Many  of  the  examples  are  taken  from  the  most  familiar  compositions  for  the 

piano,  and  if  possible,  they  should  be  studied  in  their  connection  with  the  original, 

since  many  of  the  more  daring  examples  in  the  third  chapter,  taken  out  of  their 

proper  connection,  will  sound  wild  and  confused,  lacking  the  working  up  to  a  climax 

which  alone  justifies  their  use. 

Translator. 


OF   THE 


PIflP-F0^FE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

He  who  has  talent  uses  the  pedal  well,  he  who  has  none  uses  it 
badly.  This  dictum  seems  to  be  about  the  gist  of  the  scanty  explanations 
on  the  use  of  the  pedal  found  in  the  older  piano  methods.  Thus  fur  the 
question  hardly  seems  to  have  gone  beyond  the  standpoint  of  instinctive 
feeling  on  the  part  of  the  player,  but  in  view  of  its  importance  it  seems 
well  worth  the  effort  to  demonstrate  its  significance  and  to  investigate  the 
original  causes  which  impel  the  finished  player  to  his  various  uses  of  the 
pedal.  To  reach  as  far  as  possible  these  two  aims  is  the  object  of  this 
work. 

Presupposing  in  the  reader  a  practical  knowledge  of  piano  playing, 
we  will  omit  any  explanation  of  the  mechanism  of  the  pedal,  and  begin 
with  its  most  common  effect:  that  of  sustaining  the  tone  without  the 
action  of  the  fingers. 

It  is  well  known  that  on  the  piano  a  tone  sounds  just  as  long  as  the 
key  struck  is  held  down,  and  ceases  to  sound  when  the  key  is  allowed  to 
rise.  But  if  the  pedal  be  used,  the  tone  sounds  as  long  as  the  pedal  is 
held  down  ;  it  makes  no  difference  whether  the  finger  be  raised  before  the 
foot,  or  at  the  same  time ;   (  whether,  for  example,  a  chord  be  played  so : 


H— 3— 2£— ■ 


-0- 

-m- 


or  so: 


Fed. 


— <5>- 


-&- 


Only  when  the  tone  must  be  sustained  a  longer  time  than  the  pedal 
is  to  be  held  down  is  it  absolutely  necessary  that  the  finger  remain  on 
the  key. 


THE   PEDALS   OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


In  case  of  the  other  fingers  this  is  immaterial,     e.g. 


This  shortening  of  the  touch  should  be  seldom  allowed  in  polyphonic 
music;  least  of  all  in  fugues,  as  it  is  only  in  exceptional  cases  that  all  the 
voices  cease  at  the  same  time. 

Since,  then,  every  key  struck  staccato  can  produce  a  long  tone  by  the 
aid  of  the  pedal,  the  player  thus  gains  rest  for  his  ringers,  which  detract 
nothing  from  the  length  of  the  sound. 

These  rests  and  their  skillful  use  by  players  and  composers  are  whai 
radically  distinguish  modern  music  for  the  piano  from  that  of  the  oldei 
school.  The  majority  of  sound  effects  ( Klangwirkungen  )  attained  Ivy 
modern  pianists  and  composers,  depend  upon  this  use  of  the  pedal. 

In  order  to  gain  a  precise  notation  for  the  pedal,  we  will  abandon  the 
usual  and  unreliable  signs  for  its  use,  Peel,  and  :$;,  (which  indicate  the 
rising  and  the  falling  of  the  dampers  upon  the  strings),  and  henceforth 
use  a  line  below  the  staves,  upon  which,  by  means  of  notes  and  rests,  the 
exact  duration  of  the  pedal  can  be  determined,  thus  avoiding  all  possible 
misunderstanding. 

The  pedal  is  the  only  means  of  connecting  tones  which  are  too  far 
apart  to  be  connected  by  fingers  alone.  In  such  cases  the  tones  are  struck 
staccato,  and,  while  they  are  sustained  by  the  pedal,  the  hand  makes  the 
skip  to  the  remote  keys,  not  releasing  the  pedal  until  they  are  struck,  e.g.: 


Effect. 

As  executed  by  the  hand. 
By  the  foot. 


THE   PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


In  order  to  reach  a  distant  key  the  finger  must  necessarily  observe  a 
rest,  e.g.: 


Allegro. 


As  written. 


As  played. 


=F?-g-f— *—fa— z 


r 


w 


On  the  other  hand,  the  pedal  must  also  observe  a  rest  before  it  can  be 

used  a  second  time,  e.g.: 

Allegro. 

As  written  — & 1 — & 


As  played 


T 


If  these  two  rests  occur  at  the  same  time,  a  disconnection  between  the 
two  tones  is  occasioned,  which  if  never  so  slight,  is  enough  to  destroy 
continuity  of  sound,  e.g.: 


Allegro. 


Hand. 


Foot, 

In  order  therefore,  to  preserve  the  requisite  legato,  the  rests  for  the 
fingers  and  those  for  the  foot  must  be  so  divided  that  they  never  come 
together.  This  can  be  done  in  the  following  manner:  first  strike  the  key, 
and  later  press  the  pedal.  As  soon  as  the  foot  is  down  let  the  finger  be 
removed  and  strike  the  succeeding  key,  but  after  it  is  struck  let  the 
foot  rise,  so  that  in  continuing  the  exercise  there  is  always  an  alternate 
movement :  first  the  fingers  and  then  the  foot,  e.g.: 


Effect. 

Execution. 
(a)    Hand. 

(6)    Foot. 


6 


THE  PEDALS   OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


Iu  order  to  draw  the  greatest  advantage  from  the  sustaining  power  of 
the  pedal,  in  teaching,  the  pupil  should  be  made  fully  conscious  of  this 
shortening  of  the  touch.  This  is  best  done  by  the  teacher  writing  down 
as  above  at  a  and  b,  under  the  notes,  their  real  value  as  played,  and  the 
exact  duration  of  the  pressure  of  the  foot  on  the  pedal,  by  means  of  notes 
and  rests  on  a  special  line  below  the  staves.  Also,  in  order  to  avoid  cum- 
bering this  pedal  line  with  rests  of  small  value,  a  line  can  be  drawn 
through  the  head  of  the  note  when  it  is  wished  to  show  that  the  foot 
presses  down  the  pedal  a  little  later  than  the  note  would  indicate. 

In  case  this  writing  out  takes  too  much  time  from  the  lesson,  let  the 
teacher  play  the  passage  three  times:  first,  precisely  as  it  should  be 
executed,  with  the  pedal,  the  fingers  rising  before  the  value  of  the  notes 
has  expired  ;  then  by  the  fingers  alone,  without  the  pedal,  using  the  same 
shortened  touch,  however  rough  it  may  seem;  and  lastly,  with  the  pedal 
as  at  first,  to  show  again  by  example  how  the  passage  should  sound.  In 
this  way  the  pupil  learns  to  appreciate  the  advantage  of  this  use  of  the 
pedal  from  the  contrast  between  the  two  different  effects. 

In  the  same  manner  chords  and  octaves  can  be  played  legato,  which, 
by  the  fingers  alone  cannot  be  joined  at  all,  or  only  with  great  difficulty. 
e.  g.: 

Grave. 

&0_         _0_  ritardando. 


Ped.-e- 


'/ 


* 
v 


i  ^    ^ 

I— 0 0r 


^ 


1/         1/ 


1/ 


HI 


Less  extended  chords  whose  tones  end  together,  can  also  be  joined 
by  the  pedal,  thus  greatly  simplifying  the  fingering.  For  example,  the 
following  passage  from  the  finale  of  Beethoven's  Sonata  in  ('  major,  Op. 


THE   PEDALS  OF   THE  PIANO-FORTE. 


2,  can  be  easily  and  surely  played  with  the  simple  fingering  of  the  com- 
mon chord  in  three  parts  by  using  the  pedal  immediately  after  each 
chord.  Each  one  should  be  played  staccato,  but  sustained  by  the  pedal, 
which  is  released  at  the  moment  the  next  chord  is  struck,  e. g. : 


*-'■  *:  -*•-. 


Without  the  pedal  tins  passage  requires  such  a  complicated  fingering 
as  to  render  it  almost  impossible  of  a  faultless  execution. 

The  best  way  to  accustom  pupils  to  use  the  pedal  in  this  manner  is  to 
have  them  first  play  the  scale  of  C  in  triple  measure,  observing  a  rest  on 
the  third  count,  e.g. : 

Right  H.  |  , 


:3=5: 


-*— rd 


£ 


-*— r-&- 


-&- 


-£— l 


etc. 


Left  H.  |  I  '  ' 

The  next  step  is  to  press  down  the  pedal  in  the  same  rhythm,  but  U 


observe  the  rest  on  the  first  count,  as  follows :    a;-^    p"— 

At  last  the  two  movements  should  be  executed  together,  e.g.: 


J 


etc 


R.  H. 


-1 


%z=A 


-&- 


etc. 


C.£2_ 


Foot 


L.  H.  | 

4    * 


_L 


JL 


-&- 


_L 


T 


The  tones  will,  of  course,  sound  throughout  the  entire  measure,  since 
they  are  always  sustained  either  by  the  finger  or  the  foot. 

The  following  exercise  can  be  practised  similarly  as  a  study  in  bind- 
ing chords  by  means  of  the  pedal.     First  play  slowly,  counting  aloud,* 
then  more  and  more  rapidly — also  in  different  keys. 
R.  H.  _  .^. 


Z»V-     q a 


-*s— 


I 


(2— 


U  AX  *hh^ 


-<&- 

o- 


L.  H.  an  octave  lower. 
Foot.    XP    IX-fH*-!*- 


i9- 


r 


-k-r^- 


-»■ 


[£-!*■  - 


L<5<- 


I 


I«tH*H 


THE  PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


-<&r 


--T 


-jg- 


mm 


-Si 


-Si-— 


t=g- 


r-S>— : 1 1 T—&: 


1_*_«__J| 


Foot.*-[g-f-*-[g-j *  p  1  *  f  1  y"jg'~' N~[5'—N-[s'— \-*-f- 

Even  where  the  tones  are  connected  by  the  fingers  the  pedal  should 
be  taken  in  the  same  manner.  The  common  rule  for  legato  playing  is 
that  one  key  must  be  held  down  until  the  next  key  be  struck.  But  while 
the  key  is  down  its  damper  has  no  effect  upon  the  string,  and  if  the  pedal 
be  used  for  the  succeeding  tone  at  the  instant  the  key  is  struck  the  pre- 
vious tone,  not  having  been  damped,  is  sustained  still  longer.  In  a  word  : 
in  legato  passages,  if  the  foot  move  exactly  with  the  fingers  the  tones 
sound  as  follows: 


( a )  As  executed  by  the  fingers. 
( b )    As  executed  by  the  foot, 
(c)     Effect. 


P 


1ST 


-& — 


:s>~ 


f 


— * 


-U,  •    »    L 


i 


P 


&- 


-7ST&- 


—&■&■ 


This  mingling  of  sounds  can  only  be  avoided  by  pressing  down  the 
pedal  after  the  key  is  struck. 

_  i 
[a)  As  executed  by  the  fingers. 


(6)    As  executed  by  the  foot.  ( 


(c)    Effect. 


-&- 


-<9- 


-  3 

-gs- 


-&- 


+*-f^- 


-L*_ 


S— r»- 


r>- 


S>- 


In  the  following  passage  from  Heller's  Etude,  Op.  4(5,  No.  11,  if  the 
pedal  be  used  exactly  at  the  beginning  of  each  measure  the  effect  is  bad, 
Since  the  last  tone  of  the  measure  previous  will  be  prolonged  into  the 
measure  following;  but  if  it  be  taken  with  the  second  sixteenth  of  each 
measure  the  passage  will  sound  clear. 


THE  PEDALS  OF  THE  PIANO-FORTE. 


Andante. 


Sipis 


a.  bad._^ L 


-U 


Foot. 


+ 


44 


t 


b.  good." 


-0-0 


l_a. 


■0-0- 


-Jsl£ 


01 


>a-jaff>!- 

&       IP  I 


The  first  Song  without  Words  by  Mendelssohn,  should  also  be  played 
in  the  same  manner,  the  pedal  coining  on  the  second  sixteenth  of  each 
quarter  note. 

An  excellent  pedal  exercise  is  to  play  the  scale  of  C  in  triple  measure, 
pressing  down  the  pedal  on  the  second  count  and  letting  it  rise  on  the 
first.  This  should  be  practised  until  it  can  be  played  in  rather  a  quick 
tempo. 

In  legato  passages  where  the  tones  are  preceded  by  grace  notes  it  is 
particularly  difficult  to  use  the  pedal  in  this  way,  because  the  player  is 
apt  to  press  it  down  before  reaching  the  principal  tone,  thus  creating  dis- 
sonance. The  following  exercise  will  remedy  this  fault,  but  one  must  be 
careful  to  lift  the  fingers  with  precision  in  playing  the  small  notes  and 
only  bring  the  pedal  down  after  the  principal  note  has  been  reached.  It 
should  also  be  practised  until  it  can  be  played  rapidly. 

etc.  etc. 


This  habit  of  taking  the  pedal  after  the  tone  is  absolutely  necessary 
to  the  player  if  he  wishes  his  playing  to  sound  clear.  It  is  at  first  diffi- 
cult  because  the  foot,  to  a  certain  extent,  moves  out  of  time  with  the 


10 


THE  PEDALS   OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


fingers.  No  one,  however,  should  shrink  from  the  labor  of  acquiring  it 
since  it  is  an  indispensable  requirement  for  artistic  playing  and  is  cer- 
tainly not  so  difficult  as  the  similar  effort  in  filling  the  bellows  of  a 
harmonium  or  cabinet  organ. 

It  is  the  more  necessary,  as  only  in  rare  cases  can  the  foot  move 
simultaneously  with  the  fingers,  e.g. :  at  the  beginning  of  a  composition 
or  after  a  general  rest.  In  playing  staccato  tones  it  is  also  allowable,  since 
rests  occur  between  the  notes;  in  all  other  cases  the  pedal  must  be  used 
later,  even  if  the  difference  in  time  be  very  slight,  as  otherwise  either 
gaps  between  the  tones,  or  dissonant  harmonies  result. 

But  few  players  are  aware  of  the  necessity  of  this  rule;  those  of  fine 
musical  feeling  generally  observe  it  instinctively — others  do  not,  and  this 
neglect  is  the  chief  reason  that  the  pedal  is  used  so  frequently  with  bad 
effect. 

The  pedal  not  only  connects  tones  which  are  remote  from  each  other 
but  also  serves  to  sustain  them,  e.g. : 


Effect. 


As  executed  by  the  hand. 


:E: 


■&- 


3E 


-£— 


■&- 


By  the  foot. 


1. 

I 


-<s>- 


.11 


The  greater  the  distance  between  the  keys  to  be  struck  and  the  smaller 
the  hand  of  the  player  the  more  frequently  must  the  pedal  be  used. 
Modern  compositions  for  the  piano  abound  in  extensions  and  widely 
spread  chords  which  cannot  be  reached,  even  by  the  largest  hand.  Such 
chords  must  be  played  arpeggio,  %.  c,  one  tone  after  the  other,  the  \\  hole 
being  sustained  by  the  pedal. 

In  this  case  only  the  first  tone  possesses  the  full  value  of  the  written 
note,  each  successive  tone  coming  a  little  later  than  the  one  preceding, 
but  by  the  rapidity  witli  which  this  is  generally  executed  the  loss  of  time 
is  almost  imperceptible. 

The  following  passage  from  Schumann's  Kreisleriana,  No.  2,  affords 
an  example  of  this.  Without  the  pedal  the  left  hand  part  would  sound 
very  broken. 


THE  PEDALS   OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


11 


Nicht  schnell 


t=8*z 


l?=>tw 


:ffii-  t-tf 


i      i 

r 


etc. 


f^^-l— J-W— «--g*—  J-r^-J-^ 


ped.-- |-r— f 


* 


X 


If  f  f  II 


In  widely  extended  chords  the  pedal  should  be  used  at  the  beginning 
of  the  arpeggio,  since  otherwise  all  the  tones  will  not  sound  together.  If 
it  be  used  after  the  chord  has  begun,  only  the  later  tones  will  be  sustained, 
those  first  played  being  previously  silenced  by  the  fall  of  the  dampers,  e.g.: 


As  written. 


As  executed. 


Foot. 


(a) 


( b )    good 


We  now  arrive  at  a  freedom  of  playing  which  belongs  distinctively 
to  the  realm  of  the  virtuoso,  who  uses  the  pedal  as  a  means  of  increasing 
the  power  of  his  touch.  In  legato  playing  the  grade  of  power  is  limited, 
being  dependent  both  upon  the  pressure  from  the  arm  and  upon  the 
raising  of  the  fingers  ;  the  higher  the  fingers  are  lifted  the  stronger  will 
be  the  touch  But  the  fingers  cannot  be  raised  a  greater  distance  than 
they  are  long,  so  that  in  legato  playing  their  strength  is  partly  limited  by 
their  length.  If  this  be  insufficient,  nothing  remains  but  to  abandon  the 
legato.  In  this  case  the  fingers  play  staccato  while  the  tones  are  con- 
nected by  the  pedal. 


12 


THE  PEDALS  OF  THE  PIANO-FORTE. 


Fortissimo  passages  must  therefore  often  be  played  staccato,  even 
when  the  legato  is  expressly  indicated.  Concert  literature,  especially  that 
of  late  years,  abounds  in  examples  of  this  style  of  playing,  e.g.:  measures 
132  and  133  in  Rubinstein's  D  minor  Concerto,  the  beginning  of  Weber's 
Concertstuck,  and  the  run  before  the  last  two  pauses  in  the  variations  in 
E  flat  by  Mendelssohn. 

Also  the  following  passage  at  the  end  of  Schumann's  Kreisleriana, 
No.  3,  must  be  played  staccato,  although  in  the  original  the  legato  is  ex- 
pressly marked  by  slurs. 

Sehr  aufgeregt. 


As  written. 


-f^J^- 


as  executed. 


r-P r 


fcfc2: 


— I 


si-t^n-i- 


-3-»- 


-E-A 

»-3 — I- 


■=!-- N3- 


I 


Sr 


Foot. 


The  crossing  of  the  two  parts  can  only  be  surely  executed  when  each 
hand,  after  striking  its  key,  is  raised  high  enough  to  allow  the  other  hand 
to  slip  under  it.  The  degree  of  staccato  depends  upon  the  strength  re- 
quired;  the  stronger  the  tone  the  more  staccato  the  touch,  until  the 
utmost  force  is  required,  when  the  greatest  possible  staccato  must  be 
employed,  in  order  to  gain  rests  between  the  tones  long  enough  to  admit 
of  the  whole  arm  being  raised  high  enough  above  the  key-board  to  be 
thrown  with  full  force  upon  the  keys. 

In  this  way  only,  for  example,  will  the  finale  of  the  Etude,  No.  25, 
from  Heller's  Op.  47,  attain  its  proper  brilliancy  and  effect.     Still  shorter 


THE   PEDALS  OF  THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


13 


and  stronger  should  be  the  touch  in  the  beginning  of  Rubinstein's  D 
minor  Concerto,  and  in  the  chords  of  the  left  hand  in  the  following  ex- 
ample, which  is  taken  from  Liszt's  Etude,  No.  1. 

(Prelude.)        8va 

Presto.  -  -T"  :*: 


a )  As  written 

A 


m 


W- 


(6)  As  executed. 

-N- 


pB^^± 


I 


t^^* 


la 
9 


& 


I 


— e- 


-s>- 
i  \ 


.1 


r 


44?- 


1 


Timid  instructors  may  be  not  a  little  alarmed  at  the  freedom  of  touch 
here  recommended.  Many  will  not  be  able  to  rid  themselves  of  the  idea 
that  the  character  of  a  tone  struck  with  the  pedal  becomes  different  as 
soon  as  the  finger  is  taken  from  the  key.  That  it  is  in  nowise  altered  can 
be  practically  tested  by  turning  away  from  the  player  and  endeavoring 
to  detect  the  moment  in  which  the  finder  is  withdrawn,  while  at  the 
same  time,  the  tone  is  sustained  by  the  pedal.  In  this  way  it  will  be 
made  perfectly  clear  that  for  the  duration  of  a  tone  it  is  entirely  imma- 
terial while  the  dampers  are  raised,  whether  the  finger  holds  down  the 
key  or  not. 

Those  not  physically  strong  and  whose  finders  are  weak  must  find 
assistance  in  the  staccato  if  they  wish  to  vie  with  those  of  strong  physique, 
and  who  possess  a  naturally  strong  touch. 

Such  a  manner  of  playing  in  passages  where  the  pedal  is  not  ad- 
missible would  of  course  be  broken  and  disconnected,  but  in  all  cases 
where  the  pedal  can  be  used  the  effect  is  precisely  the  same  whether  the 
tones  are  played  legato  or  staccato,  provided  they  are  struck  with  the 
same  force. 

Tin's  use  of  the  pedal  also  serves  to  beautify  the  touch.  The  more 
time  one  has  to  prepare  the  touch  the  finer  it  can  be  made.     The  pauses 


J4  THE  PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 

between  the  tones  can  be  utilized  by  arranging  the  Angers  while  in  th« 
air,  in  such  a  way  that  the  finger  which  is  to  play  the  strongest  tone  is 
held  somewhat  stiffly  and  more  bent  than  the  others,  so  that  its  tip  pro- 
jects, and  in  consequence,  strikes  with  a  stronger  touch.  For  instance: 
in  the  following  four  measures,  if  it  be  desired  to  bring  out,  first,  the 
lowest  tone,  then  the  second,  third  and  fourth  tones  in  succession,  with 
more  strength  than  the  others  in  the  same  chord — first  the  thumb,  and 
then  the  second,  third  and  fifth  fingers  must  be  successively  held  more 
stiffly  and  bent  than  the  others,  so  that  one  after  the  other  the  C,  E,  O 
and  C  may  be  struck  more  strongly  than  the  other  tones  of  the  chord,  e.g.: 


& 

e 


-s- — F g F g F 

—8 1 >-0 ■ <S> u 


— s- 


-l§- 


>-&-  1  -&-  -&- 

This  use  of  the  staccato  in  connection  with  the  pedal,  also  serves  as  a 
means  of  repose  from  the  labor  of  playing.  Even  the  mere  holding  of  a 
full  and  extended  chord  somewhat  strains  the  muscles,  and  compositions, 
which,  like  the  most  difficult  piano  music  of  the  present  day,  are  full  of 
daring  chords  and  stretches  can  hardly  be  played  to  an  end  without  the 
rests  made  possible  by  the  pedal. 

After  great  extensions  it  is  of  advantage — particularly  to  players  with 
small  hands,  to  close  the  hands  when  in  the  air  in  order  to  rest  the  mus- 
cles from  the  strain  of  the  previous  stretching.  Even  so  mighty  a  pianist 
as  Rubinstein  does  not  disdain  to  avail  himself  of  this  advantage  and 
after  fortissimo  chords,  frequently  raises  his  clenched  hands  high  over 
the  keyboard,  thus  resting  his  fingers  and  gaining  fresh  strength  for  re- 
newed efforts.  Many  an  uninitiated  observer  may  have  regarded  this  as 
an  exaggerated  mannerism— indeed,  as  a  serious  fault  which  he  only 
pardons  in  the  virtuoso  because  he  produces  so  fine  and  powerful  a  tone 
in  spite  of  his  so  called  fault,  which  is  in  reality,  the  cause  of  the 
admired  effect. 

In  this  connection  it  must  be  remarked  that  this  closing  of  the  hand 
should  be  involuntary ;  the  player  should  not  will  it  directly  but  allow 
it  to  occur  instinctively. 

If  after  playing  staccatissimo  the  hand  be  allowed  complete  relaxa- 
tion it  will  of  itself  rise— the  stronger  the  touch  and  the  greater  the 
relaxation,  the  greater  the  height  it  will  reach.  This  allows  it  a  brief 
period  of  rest,  but  one  long  enough  to  renew  strength  for  a  fresh  attack. 
The  shock  of  a  staccato  touch  is  decidedly  greater  than  that  of  a  touch 
which  retains  the  keys,  and  as  on  the  piano  the  moment  of  percussion  is 


THE  PEDALS  OF  THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


15 


alone  to  be  considered,  staccato  chords  can  be  played  with  much  more 
force  than  those  requiring  tbe  fingers  to  be  kept  down. 

(Another,  and  a  favorite  use  of  the  pedal  with  many  players  must 
not  fail  to  receive  mention — it  serves  to  prolong  the  last  chord  on  the 
right-hand  page  of  the  music,  so  that  it  may  be  turned  without  breaking 
the  sound.) 

It  must  also  be  noted  that  since  the  pedal  sustains  the  tone  it  must 
never  be  employed  where  a  staccato  effect  is  required,  e.g.:  in  passages 
like  the  following:  Mendelssohn's  Variations  Serieuses. 


etc. 


The  pedal  may  now  be  considered  in  its  relation  to  the  composer,  to 
whom  it  is  of  no  less  advantage  than  to  the  player. 

One  of  the  most  effective  uses  of  the  pedal  is  that  originated  by 
Thalberg,  in  sustaining  the  long  tones  of  a  melody,  leaving  the  hand  free 
to  execute  a  brilliant  accompaniment.  This  effect  is  most  frequently  em- 
ployed in  grand  arpeggios  whose  first  note  is  also  a  note  of  the  melody, 
particularly  in  melodies  played  mainly  with  the  thumb  (Daumen-melo- 
dien).  Of  these,  Charles  Mayer's  Etude  in  F  sharp  major,  furnishes  the 
best  known  example. 


Allezro 


.fi. 


8 


In  such  cases  the  pedal  is  indispensable. 


16 


THE  PEDALS  OF  THE  PIANO-FORTE. 


Not  only  arpeggios,  but  ornamented  chord  passages,  and  even  scales 
can  be  made  to  fill  the  pauses  between  the  tones  of  the  melody,  but  these, 
as  a  rule,  only  sound  well  when  they  are  played  on  the  upper  part  of  tfie 
piano,  and  the  melody  in  the  middle  or  lower  part,  e.  g.:  Pacher's  salon 
piece,  Song  of  the  Mermaid  from  Oberon. 


Allegretto, 


m^ 


#-* 


a 


:£: 


±z 


_UL 


#-* 


-#-«- 


rzf* 


£. LL ^ i 


:t: 


I 


-i 


However  effective  this  method  of  ornamentation  may  be,  it  conceals 
a  danger  for  the  composer— it  tends  to  make  the  melody  stiff"  and  the 
rhythm  monotonous.  The  brilliancy  of  a  melody  accompanied  by  runs 
is  so  great  that  a  meagreness  of  sound  inevitably  results  if  they  are  sud- 
denly abandoned  in  the  course  of  the  composition  ;  in  such  a  case,  if  the 
composer  has  said  A,  he  must  also  say  B. 

But  if  the  same  effect  be  continued  a  number  of  evils  arise  :  it  is  only 
possible  with  the  long  notes  of  the  melody — if  the  composer  has  begun 
one  measure  with  a  long  in,te  the  next  one  must  begin  in  like  manner — so 
that  a  natural  continuation  of  the  melody  demands  the  long  tone  at  the 
beginning  of  every  measure.     It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the  rhythm  of  the 


THE   PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


17 


melody  is  greatly  limited  since  each  measure  must  begin  with  a  long 
tone.  After  the  run  is  finished  the  melody  can  only  be  continued  with 
short  notes,  or  the  first  note  must  be  followed  by  one  equally  as  long, 
which  is  only  possible  in  double  time.  So,  for  example,  the  entire  Etude 
in  F  sharp  by  Mayer  moves  only  in  three  rhythms : 


J 


t       9       g  0     •  0  0        \\      O     '  9     • 

In  all  three  the  long  note  occurs  at  the  beginning  of  the  measure,  and  so 
is  it  in  the  arrangement  from  Oberon  by  Pacher,  which  moves  constantly 
in  the  same  rhythm  as  the  first  one  of  the  Etude.  In  nearly  all  compo- 
sitions of  this  kind  each  measure  begins  with  a  long  tone,  which  causes 
a  wearisome  monotony  of  rhythm,  and  in  the  end,  a  fatal  family  resem- 
blance to  each  other. 

Composers  who  especially  devote  themselves  to  this  manner  of  writ- 
ing, sacrifice  melody  to  sound,  and  rhythm  to  effect. 

The  great  difference  which  results  from  the  freedom  of  movement  in  a 
series  of  tones  may  be  readily  seen  by  comparing  the  so-called  Perpetuum 
Mobile,  from  the  Sonata  in  C  major  by  Weber,  with  the  Etude  quoted 
above. 

Presto. 


•p.       *--e-       <*-       ^*-  *S-       *•-       -j 


:  etc. 


In  this  the  melody  itself  moves  freely  while  the  melody  of  the  former 
remains  stiff.  Although  the  notes  of  the  accompaniment  follow  each 
other  with  rapidity,  they  appear  only  as  an  embellishment  of  the  melody. 
In  Weber's  composition,  not  a  note  could  be  omitted  without  injuring 
the  melodic  flow,  while  in  that  of  Mayer's,  the  melody  can  be  played 
entirely  alone,  giving  a  picture,  if  but  a  faint  one,  of  the  spirit  of  the 
composition. 

Composers  were  not  long  in  discovering  that  their  compositions  suf- 
fered from  this  manner  of  writing,  so  that  it  soon  came  into  discredit  and 
at  present  is  considered  worn  out  and  commonplace,     ft  was,  however, 


18 


THE   PEDAES   OF  THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


too  effective  to  be  entirely  thrown  aside,  and  a  skillful  management  of  the 
two  hands  was  devised  by  which  the  melody  could  move  on  without 
waiting  for  the  run  to  be  finished,  thus  avoiding  the  tiresome  uniformity 
of  rhythm,  e.g. :  Heller.     Op.  46,  Etude  No.  25. 


?$=*=£==  * 


Ped.  — f - 


Hr — i-;— Mf 


-»-•- 


-i 


A  practical  method  of  gaining  a  clear  understanding  of  the  mode  oi 
performance  is  to  write  out  the  simple  melody,  omitting  the  runs,  e.g. : 


The  melody  with  a  simple  accompaniment  was  also  sometimes  given 
entirely  to  the  left  hand,  while  the  accompanying  runs  were  played  by 
the  right  hand,  e.g. :  Thalberg,  in  his  Fantaisie  on  Les  Huguenots. 


THE   PEDALS  OF  THE   PIANO-FOKTE. 


10 


=, 


S-'a i 

Maestoso.       ~f~    f.    0 


*E^e=_EiE 


■#— # 


SS=i^ 


C  x    i» 


8?w. 


5* 


«S 


— I i 1 1 1 1- 


rzli 


=3p: 

-1 — ■ — 1— 


-*# — *— $£-j£l-«*i 
=1=1       1       E=p: 


7-it-5— j- 


St'a. 


20 


THE   PEDALS   OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


In  the  course  of  time  composers  have  become  more  and  more  inven- 
tive in  their  use  of  the  pedal.  Even  remote  chords  are  used  to  fill  in  the 
pauses  between  tones  sustained  by  the  pedal,  a  good  example  of  which  is 
furnished  by  the  conclusion  of  Liszt's  Mazeppa  Etude : — 


^=eE?j 


-=— —0r-mr9r 

3— -0-0* 


5  i 

-0-0-0- 


-0-0-0- 


m 


-1    '00  0—^r 


8?/a 

5   r 

1    •    00 — 0- 


5S 


IV- 


-(«- 


B     in 


-«— 
— i — 


I 

v 


-h- 


P 
I 

V 

1 1  ^ 


I 

4V 
1 1  \ 


i 


These  chords  may  belong  to  different  harmonies,  provided  they  occur 
*n  the  upper  part  of  the  keyboard ;  e.  g.}  Phantasie  Schniitt : — 

Adagio.  8z>a 8va 


j*   #  A  m m     F"*™^       A  30-   H 0-   J~-  AAA 

y?P  marcato.  '  '  tnarcato 


t 


-'- 


-0 — 0— e>~ I  -i 


s»- 


-0  0  0 

u  u  u 


THE   PEDALS   OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 

Sva. 


21 


1/     u     u    y    U      "I  f     ^    V    V 

Under  particularly  favorable  circumstances,  even  scales  lying  rathei 
low  may  also  be  used,  but  only  when  the  long  notes  consist  of  fortissimo 
chords,  as  in  the  following  example  which  is  taken  from  the  Etude, 
Op.  168,  by  Ch.  Mayer  :— 

Maestoso  energico. 


It  sometimes  occurs  that  the  long  notes  of  a  melody  are  accompanied 
by  shorter  notes  of  the  same  pitch.  In  such  cases  the  long  tone  is  struck 
strongly  and  sustained  by  the  pedal,  while  the  accompanying  tones  are 
played  piano,  the  pedal  being  released  only  at  the  end  of  the  long  tone :  e.g: 

PP 


Y->f>-»- 


1— 


Pea'. 


-&- 


i 


'22  THE   PEDALS   OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 

Til  this  manner  the  long  tone  of  the  melody  is  brought  out  and  sus. 
tained,  although  broken  by  shorter  tones  of  the  same  pitch.  This  effect 
can  be  found  in  Heller's  Etude,  Op.  47,  No.  lt>,  21st  measure— also  in  the 
fourth  measure  before  the  return  of  the  theme  in  the  first  movement  of 
Beethoven's  Sonata  in  E  minor,  Op.  90:— 


aPP 

PP  aPP  111 


pp 

rr  a  i"!" 

«=:1=:l=pzzn=3=FS---2--2--J=r-i 

L-2-tXSE 


fr-g- — =  ~rA 1 1 1— r 


•-  -*-  -•-  -•-    -»-  -*-  -^-  -tf- 

W  aPP  aPP  aPP 

J_4— L-^-4-4— U~l— I      1      1    r-J — 1—4—4- 


e-* H f* 1* 1 

The  most  significant  advantage  of  the  pedal  to  the  composer,  how- 
ever, is  that  it  frees  him  from  the  necessity  of  limiting  chords  to  such  as  can 
be  readily  executed  by  the  average  hand.  This  result  hasof  itself  wrought 
a  great  change  in  the  manner  of  writing  for  the  piano. 

Before  Liszt,  Beethoven  and  Weber  were  the  only  ones  who  exceeded 
this  limit.  Beethoven  wrote  a  few  extensions,  having  the  compass  of  a 
tenth,  which  occur  principally  in  his  Concertos  in  E  fiat  and  G  major; 
thus  possibly  giving  the  first  impulse  to  the  subsequent  use  of  wide 
intervals.  Weber,  in  his  Sonata  in  A  fiat,  uses  chords  extending  to  a 
tenth,  and  in  Ins  Concertstiick,  chords  with  an  eleventh  ;  but  in  his  case 
the  ust' of  wide  intervals  seems  fortuitous,  in  so  far  that  his  hands  were 
large  enough  to  strike  all  the  notes  of  these  chords  at  one  time.  In 
this  connection  it  may  be  remarked  that  in  his  time  the  keys  of  the  piano 
were  narrower  than  those  of  to-day. 

The  most  powerful  general  impulse  toward  the  use  of  widely  ex- 
tended chord  positions  was  given  by  Henselt  in  his  charming  Etudes, 
Op.  2  and  Op.  5.  We  are  told  by  Bcndel  in  his  book,  "  Oeist  and  Technik 
ties  Clavit  runterrichtes,"  that  Henselt  possessed  a  naturally  great  power  of 
extension,  which  he  augmented  by  an  assiduous  practice  of  wide  intervals. 
But  even  he  has  written  chords  too  widely  spread  to  be  able  himself  to 
strike  all  the  tones  of  the  chord  at  once,  thus  rendering  the  pedal  indis- 
pensable to  those  who  wish  to  play  his  compositions.  Tn  case  of  small 
hands,  extended  chords  can  only  be  played  in  arpeggio,  the  necessity  of 


THE   PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


23 


this  manner  of  performance  naturally  varying  with  the  size  and  elasticity 
of  the  hand.  In  Henselt's  compositions,  however,  the  sign  of  the  arpeg- 
gio occurs  very  rarely.  When,  then,  is  it  allowable  to  break  the  chord? 
This  question  admits  of  a  very  simple  answer:  As  long  as  the  hand  can 
stretch  the  required  interval,  the  tones  of  the  chord  are  struck  togethei  ; 
when  the  distance  is  too  great  to  admit  of  this,  they  are  played  one  after 
the  other.  One  player,  therefore,  will  not  play  arpeggio  where  another 
is  compelled  to  do  so.  Care  should  be  taken  where  no  arpeggio  sign  is 
placed,  to  play  the  tones  as  quickly  as  possible  one  after  the  other,  in 
order  to  give  as  nearly  as  may  be  the  effect  of  a  solid  chord. 

This  freedom  in  the  use  of  extensions  made  possible  by  the  pedal,  has 
greatly  influenced  the  manner  of  writing  { Setziveise)  for  the  piano.  In 
the  lower  part  of  the  instrument  chords  in  extended  positions  sound 
much  better  than  those  in  close  positions. .  From  acoustics  we  learn  that 
in  the  nature  of  musical  sounds  a  low,  close  position  does  not  exist. 
It  is  only  necessary  to  compare  the  sound  of  this  position 


-<Z- 


-*9- 


with   this 


1 


—  -77- 

-73-  -77" 

to  discover  the  difference  in  effect. 

Composers  have  become  more  and  more  daring  in  their  use  of  ex- 
tended positions;  they  have  set  the  tones  of  their  chords  farther  and 
farther  apart  in  order  to  bring  out  the  fullest  possible  resonance  from  the 
instrument.  When  the  extreme  limit  of  what  even  the  largest  hand 
could  execute  in  arpeggio  was  reached,  chords  of  five,  six,  and  seven  parts 
were  built  up,  which  were  played  in  two  positions  of  the  hand  by  a  rapid 
passing  of  the  thumb  under  the  fingers  and  of  the  fingers  ov*-r  the 
thumb,  which  gave  almost  the  effect  of  a  solid  chord;  e.g.:— 
Jlfaestoso. 

(a)  < 


2A 


THE   PEDALS   OF   THE    PIANO-FORTE. 


A 

< 
L(S_^ 


<5    ~ 


+^&- 
<i-&- 
<!-&- 


.a. 


-• — 


-n 


Perhaps  the  most  daring  example  of  this  manner  of  chord  writing  is  to 
be  found  in  the  Mazeppa  Etude  by  Liszt,  in  the  left  hand  part  during  the 
signature  of  B  major.  Another  well-known  example  is  the  passage  in  G 
major  from  the  Nocturne  in  C  minor,  Op.  48,  No.  1,  by  Chopin. 

Such  chords  are  easier  of  performance  if  they  are  divided  between 
the  two  hands,  one  beginning  after  the  other  has  finished,  a  manner  of 
writing  which  naturally  allows  of  very  wide  positions;  e.g.:— 

Molto  adagio. 


Fed.  ■ 


-0- 


t 


<?-i- 


i 


Even  these  extended  positions  were  found  insufficient  and  still 
another  form  was  devised:  after  both  hands  had  finished,  the  arpeggio 
was  continued  by  the  hand  which  had  begun  at  first:  c.a.: — 


THE   PEDALS   OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


25 


Adagio. 


L.  H. 


The  sixteenth  notes 

are  to  be  played  very  2      4 

rapidly.  1 


Fed. 


1± 0 — 1 


4      5 


-&- 


3   1 
#  —  —  ! 


ipc 


2      4 


I    -4 


-0 — h 


-e- 


Ped.  —f-*" 


5 


4 


This  has  the  advantage  of  allowing  the  left  hand  to  hring  out  the 
melody  with  great  distinctness.  A  well-known  example  of  this  manner 
of  playing  is  afforded  in  the  new  edition  of  Henselt's  Etude,  "Thanks- 
giving after  the  Storm,"  and  the  ending  of  his  Etude,  "If  I  were  a  Bird." 
Rubinstein's  "Etude  on  False  Notes"  also  abounds  in  this  crossing  of 
bands. 

There  is  still  another  peculiarly  effective  kind  of  arpeggio  in  which 
the  tones  are  not  struck  singly  but  in  groups;  e.g.:— 


26 


THE   PEDALS   OF  THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


-f2- 


-<£<- 


»-    -«- 


K 


•«- 


-UL 


A  fine  example  of  this  is  to  be  found  in  Willmer's  transcription  oi 
Mendelssohn's  Wedding  March;  also  at  the  close  of  the  second  move- 
ment of  Schumann's  Fantaisie  in  C  major,  Op.  17. 

Sometimes  sufficient  room  cannot  be  found  on  the  two  staves  for  the 
composer  to  marshal  his  troops  of  notes,  and  this  has  made  necessary  a 
new  manner  of  notation.  When  two  staves  fail  to  furnish  enough  space 
to  represent  clearly  all  the  different  parts  with  their  notes  of  varying 
value,  three  staves  can  be  used,  which  device  Liszt  was  the  first  to  em- 
ploy, as,  for  example,  in  the  Mazeppa  Etude. 

There  is  one  composition  in  which  even  four  staves  are  used  at  one 
time,  viz.,  Henselt's  Concerto;  e.g.: — 

j,  Larehetto.  ^~y^m.  m  f  *    jig. 

^sr-jr — -r — ih5^ ^ *— •— 9 ^-r—iF—% 


* 


JSfc 


^iiliLSlsig§i=i 


&  - 


i 


:%£ 


:8=: 


m: 


m^= 


• 


T 


-U- 


THE   PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


27 


It  is  well  known  that  Rubinstein  has  never  written  out  his  remark- 
able arrangement  for  two  hands  of  the  Overture  to  Egmont  by  Beethoven 
because  of  the  necessary  labor,  since  to  secure  a  clear  notation  four  staves 
would  almost  constantly  be  required. 

Such  transcriptions,  and  those  like  Liszt's  arrangement  of  the  Bridal 
Procession  from  Lohengrin,  depend  almost  entirely  upon  the  skillful  use 
of  the  pedal.  This  manner  of  writing  has  been  not  unfitly  termed  the 
orchestration  of  the  piano,  since  by  its  aid  no  tone  of  the  orchestral  score 
is  lost,  and  the  arranger  also  finds  opportunity  to  add  something  of  his 
own,  since  by  assistance  of  the  pedal  the  player's  fingers  are,  so  to  speak, 
multiplied. 

Alfred  Quidant  in  his  clever  brochure  on  the  pedal,  "L'Anie  du 
Piano,"  Paris,  chez  Marquet  et  Cie,  gives  a  composition  for  the  piano 
which  can  be  played  throughout  with  but  one  finger,  yet  by  the  skillful 
use  of  the  pedal  it  makes  an  orchestral  effect ;  e.  g. : — 


:M 


-&-    -&- 


f 


33 


-iSf- 


-&- 


-&- 


I       Si 
_—_^ Jt — . 


=|: 


•- 


\s=£^E 


-zr 


-<©- 


-*- 


\ 


_L 


-&- 


-*■ 


_L_«= 1- 


s> 


etc. 


■iS>- 

\ 


Only  through  the  pedal  can  the  full  resonance  of  the  piano  be  brought 
out,  and  often  by  very  moderate  technical  powers.  As  an  example  com- 
pare Heller's  Etude,  Op.  45,  No.  15. 

Liszt  was  among  the  first  to  use  the  pedal  in  this  manner,  and  he  it 
is  who  has  carried  this  method  of  writing  for  the  piano  to  its  culmination, 
so  that  in  this  point  it  may  be  possible  for  others  to  equal  him,  but  hardly 
to  surpass  him. 

From  this,  his  pre  eminence  as  a  writer  for  the  piano  can  readily  be 
seen.  The  instrument  may  be  said  to  have  experienced  a  new  birth  since 
he  first  gave  the  impulse  to  these  different  pedal  effects.  Even  its 
structure  has  been  changed  to  meet  the  demands  made  upon  it  by  Liszt 
and  his  followers.     (If,  for  example,  Rubinstein  should  attempt  to  play 


28  THE  PEDALS  OF   TEH   PIANO- FOKTE. 

with  his  usual  force  his  transcription  of  the  Egmont  Overture  upon  one 
of  the  old-time  spindle-legged  pianos,  it  is  certain  that  at  the  end  of  the 
performance  but  little  of  the  instrument  would  be  left.) 

Great  as  are  the  advantages  derived  by  the  composer  from  the  pedal, 
none  the  less  worthy  of  consideration  are  the  consequences  of  a  too  great 
use  of  its  newly  discovered  efiects.  Rhythm,  harmonic  flow,  and  free 
thematic  development  all  suffer  through  the  misuse  of  the  pedal. 

As  already  shown  in  the  F  sharp  Etude  by  Mayer,  the  rhythm  be- 
comes monotonous  when  the  pauses  between  the  tones  of  the  melody  are 
tilled  with  runs,  because  the  ear  always  expects  the  same  effect  at  the 
same  place.  (It  would  almost  seem  as  though  the  composer  were  not 
able  to  banish  the  spirits  he  had  called  up ;  he  is  so  crowded  and  pursued 
by  the  same  persistent  figure  that  the  hearer  soon  thinks,  "Something 
less  effective  would  have  more  effect".) 

Every  increase  of  the  tone-mass  seems  particularly  unfavorable  to 
rhythm.  All  the  enrichments  which  the  pedal  adds  to  composition  tend 
to  impart  more  or  less  heaviness  to  rhythm  and  harmonic  progression; 
the  law  of  inertia  is  particularly  manifest  in  case  of  large  masses  of  tone. 
In  the^orchestra  we  also  find  the  same  effect:  the  varying  rhythms,  and 
even  the  general  pauses  with  which  Beethoven  works  such  wonders,  in 
our  noise-loving  age  appear  more  and  more  rarely;  if,  by  chance,  a  well- 
timed  silence  occurs  in  our  modern  music  it  involuntarily  makes  the 
impression  of  an  inspiration. 

This  neglect  of  rhythmic  feeling  in  our.  composers  may  perhaps  be 
attributed  in  part  to  the  daily  study  for  years  of  finger  exercises  and 
velocity  studies  in  the  same  rhythm. 

Speaking  in  general,  it  seems  as  though  the  history  of  music  mani- 
fests changes  similar  to  those  in  the  history  of  painting.  At  certain 
epochs  color  was  especially  cultivated;  in  others,  drawing  enjoyed  the 
pre-eminence.  Our  present  music  seems  in  particular  to  be  characterized 
by  a  development  of  tone  color.  Such  beautiful  and  unexampled  tone 
combinations  as  occur  in  the  finale  of  Wagner's  Tristan  and  Isolde  will 
afford  sufficient  material  for  wonder  and  study  for  generations  to  come. 

Although  Wagner's  tone  drawing  (melody)  may  not  be  ranked  with 
his  tone  color  (orchestration),  such  works,  as  being  the  creations  of  a 
genius  opening  new  paths  to  art,  in  spite  of  many  a  mannerism,  are  of 
far  more  significance  than  the  most  successful  productions  of  the  best 
trained  mediocrity. 


THE  PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE.  29 

These  observations  upon  Wagner  and  the  music  of  the  latest  period 
have  more  bearing  than  appears  upon  our  subject.  Many  of  Wag- 
ner's most  brilliant  passages  are,  in  reality,  only  pedal  effects  genially 
transcribed  for  the  orchestra;  as,  for  example,  the  conclusion  of  the 
Overture  to  Tannhauser,  the  "Ride  of  the  Valkyries"  and  the  "Magic 
Fire  Scene." 

A  proof  of  this  is  found  in  the  fact  that  in  two-handed  arrangements 
of  these  compositions  for  the  piano  the  original  effect  can  be  produced 
upon  the  instrument  only  by  means  of  the  pedal. 

When  it  is  considered  that  the  majority  of  composers  begin  their 
careers  as  pianists,  it  is  manifest  that  a  close  connection  exists  between 
the  manner  of  composing  for  the  piano  and  that  of  composing  for  other 
instruments;  every  notable  change  in  the  manner  of  writing  for  the 
piano  has  been  followed  by  a  like  change  in  all  departments  of  musical 
composition.  The  trills  and  ornaments,  for  instance,  which  formerly 
were  considered  necessary  on  account  of  the  short  duration  of  the  tone  of 
the  piano,  are  disappearing  not  only  from  piano  music  as  the  instrument 
gains  in  power  and  resonance,  but  also  from  that  written  for  the  orchestr? 
and  the  voice. 

These  observations  are  by  no  means  unconnected  with  our  subject 
The  attention  which  every  influence  upon  the  general  style  of  composition 
deserves  renders  tnem  the  more  appropriate,  since  it  is  precisely  the 
modern  use  of  the  pertai  which  has  occasioned  such  a  revolution  in  the 
manner  of  composing  loi  the  piano. 

Thematic  development  suffers  through  the  pedal,  in  so  far  as  its 
use  is  not  allowable  in  quiet  passages  where  progressions  occur  by 
the  regular  steps  of  the  scale.  The  tranquil  movements  made  up 
equally  ot  chord  and  scale  passages  which  were  formerly  in  vogue  are, 
therefore,  gradually  disappearing  from  the  music  of  to-day — indeed,  it 
almost  seems,  from  the  present  universal  use  of  the  pedal,  as  though  the 
scales  were  going  out  of  fashion,  so  seldom  do  they  occur,  particularly 
in  the  middle  portion  of  the  piano.  Thus,  for  example,  in  all  Schu- 
mann's works  not  a  single  scale,  having  an  extent  of  three  octaves,  can 
be  found. 

Progressions    which    move    by    regular    decrees  of    the    scale   in   a 
tempo  too  rapid  to  admit  of  a  change  of  the  pedal  with  each  tone  are  at 


30  THE   PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 

present  generally  met  only  at  points  where  a  change  of  harmony  takes 
place ;  e.  g. : — 


X 

In  the  middle  voices,  however,  fewer  sustained  tones  and  notes  foreign 
to  the  harmony  occur  than  in  the  older  polyphonic  music. 

Liszt,  indeed,  by  his  transcriptions  of  Bach's  organ  fugues,  has  de- 
monstrated that  the  most  complicated  polyphonic  music  can  be  played 
upon  the  piano  with  the  aid  of  the  pedal;  but  only  a  virtuoso  well  versed 
in  all  the  refinements  of  the  pedal  can  make  possible  a  performance 
which  may  excel  in  clearness  a  competent  four-handed  execution  of  these 
works. 

During  the  last  few  decades  the  technic  demanded  by  the  most  diffi- 
cult music  for  the  piano  seems  to  have  remained  about  the  same ;  a  further 
development  appears  hardly  possible— the  mechanism  of  the  instrument 
being  unaltered — since  it  is  naturally  limited  by  the  size  and  elasticity  of 
the  hand.  Certain  it  is  that  already  too  much  has  been  required  from  the 
hand,  and  that  ladies  with  small  hands  must  often  reluctantly  deny 
themselves  some  of  the  fairest  blossoms  of  modern  piano  music* 

The  importance  to  which  the  pedal  has  in  our  days  attained  can  be 
appreciated  when  we  consult  the  older  piano  schools.  From  what  is  to 
be  seen  in  his  Grand  School  for  the  Piano,  Hummel  seems  to  have 
regarded  the  pedal  mainly  as  a  means  of  creating  confusion.  Nowhere 
does  he  consider  it  indispensable,  and  even  under  the  most  favorable 
circumstances  he  regards  it  only  as  an  agreeable  adjunct,  which  may 
always  be  omitted  without  prejudice  to  the  composition.  He  seems 
never  to  have  discovered  how  much  the  instrument  gains  in  resonance 
by  the  use  of  the  pedal,  apparently  holding  it  immaterial  for  beauty  of 
tone  whether,  during  a  long  tone,  the  pedal  be  used  or  not.  That  it 
is  not  immaterial  will  be  shown  in  the  following  chapters. 


*Selmar  Bagge  once  jestingly  suggested  that  the  octave  coupler  of  the  old  I'hys- 
narrnoniea  be  introduced  in  the  piano,  in  order  to  put  an  end  to  the  astonishment 
over  the  feats  in  octaves  accomplished  by  virtuosos,     rossibly  some  inventive  genius 

may  yet  discover  the  possibility  of  simultaneously  striking  remote  keys  with  but  a 
moderate  power  of  extension  in  the  hand,  which  would  open  a  new  era  in  the  art 
of  piano  playing. 


THE   PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE.  31 

Of  all  the  authors,  Czerny  has  given  the  most  complete  treatment 
of  the  question  in  the  third  and  fourth  volumes  of  his  grand  School 
for  the  Piano,  which,  strictly  speaking,  belongs  to  the  newer  school 
of  piano  playing,  but  even  he  by  no  means  exhausts  the  subject.  He 
also  commits  the  error  of  requiring  the  pedal  to  he  used  when  the  key 
is  struck,  instead  of  pressing  it  down  afterward,  as  should  generally  be 
the  case.  From  this  error  the  author  of  this  work  was  perhaps  only 
preserved  by  the. fact  that  he  did  not  examine  the  work  in  question 
until  after  he  had  finished  his  own  investigations — a  chance  which  for- 
tunately allowed  him  to  master  the  subject  by  practical  experience. 

In  Kullak's  Art  of  Touch  can  also  be  found  some  explanation  as  to 
the  use  of  the  pedal. 

(Almost  ludicrous  it  was  to  the  author  when,  possessed  by  the  fear 
that  possibly  Marx,  in  his  long  treatise  on  piano  effects,  Allgemeine 
Compositio7ixh/i/-r,  might  have  anticipated  him  in  the  results  of  his  labor, 
he  found,  on  hastily  examining  the  book,  that  the  word  pedal  was  not  even 
once  mentioned  ) 


32  THE   PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 

CHAPTEK  II. 

The  effect  of  the  pedal  in  strengthening  and  beautifying  the  tone 
cannot  be  explained  without  touching  upon  the  existence  of  overtones. 
By  overtones  is  meant  that  series  of  tones  heard  in  connection  with  the 
prolonged  vibration  of  every  low  string  in  the  piano,  accompanying  the 
tone  produced.     These  tones  occur  in  a  definite  order :   if,  for  instance, 

Ml 


this  C,  SLZ _     be  strongly  struck  and  the  tone  sustained,  the  ear, 

being  held  close  to  the  string,  will  detect  the  following  tones,  sounding 
very  softly,  yet  perceptibly,  in  connection  with  the  fundamental  C : — 

C  eg  e        e        g       B 


=e=-E^:Ei 


3=i2- 


m 


%V- 


-»- 

4         5         8 


-is  <?  Q 

1  ~  6 

A  similar  series  will  be  found  in  the  vibration  of  every  string. 

This  phenomenon  is  occasioned  by  the  fact  that  every  vibrating  string 
vibrates  not  only  as  a  whole,  but  also  in  parts.  The  starting  points  for 
these  secondary  vibrations  are  called  nodal  points,  and  occur  in  definite 
mathematical  proportions  to  the  length  of  the  string.  The  first  nodal 
point  is  found  in  the  middle  of  the  string,  and  divides  it  into  two  equal 
portions,  thus  giving  the  octave,  the  fundamental  tone  bearing  to  its 
octave  the  proportion  of  one  to  two. 

The  twelfth  is  produced  by  the  division  of  the  string  into  three  parts, 
each  part  vibrating  independently  as  a  whole;  the  second  octave,  by  a 
division  into  four  parts,  etc  ,  the  fundamental  tone  and  its  overtones 
occurring  in  the  simple  proportions  of  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  etc.  The  third  tone, 
for  example,  vibrates  three  times  as  often  as  the  fundamental;  the  first  of 
every  three  vibrations  of  the  third  overtone  therefore  coincides  with  the 
beginning  of  one  vibration  of  the  fundamental;  the  same  is  true  of  the 
first  of  every  four  vibrations  of  the  fourth  overtone  and  of  the  first  of 
every  five  vibrations  of  the  fifth  overtone,  etc. 

Strings  possessing  this  coincidence  of  vibration  are  said  to  be  related 
to  each  other,  since  in  consequence  of  it  any  one  of  them  will  begin  to 
vibrate  as  soon  as  another  sounds  in  its  vicinity. 

The  relationship  may  he  shown  as  follows:  press  down  the  key  of  thf> 


THE   PEDALS   OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


33 


large  C*  without  allowing  it  to  sound,  and  then  strike  the  small  c  above, 
strong  and  staccato,  whereupon  the  tone  c  will  sound  clearly  from  the  C 
string  and  be  sustained  by  it  as  long  as  the  key  is  held  down.  In  like 
manner  the  same  string  can  be  made  to  produce  its  other  overtones,  g, 
c,  e,  g,  "b  flat,  as  follows  :— 


Sounding.  / 


Silent. 


Effect, 


Ee; 


:S: 


mm 


=3=*=- 


=11 


-19- 


-&- 


i 


--T 


-& 


*For  those  not  familiar  with  the  usual  method  of  designating  the  keys  of  the 
piano  by  letters,  the  following  table  is  subjoined,  showing  each  key  of  the  piano 
with  its  corresponding  letter: — 


(** 

c 

D 

E 

F 

G 

A 

B 

C 

D 

E 

F 

G 

A 

B 

k^ 

— I — 

— i — 

— i — 

— i— 

w 

—0— 

—9— 

-•— 

d 


a 


b 


\i 


f     g      a 


7T~^ 


c    (T    e    T    g    a    b 


cd        efgab        ecleT 
87V7 


34 


Till:    PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


Sounding. 


Silent. 


Effect, 


i=qz£ 


T- 


m 


m^m 


-&- 


-&- 


s>- 


W & u^ U ___ 


'-S &■ 


Employing  the  same  method  with  the  tones 
c~         <I  e  T         g  a 


bl 


-#-       £*■ 


F 


:t: 


8 


9 


10 


11 


12 


13 


14 


15 


it  will  be  found  that  they  also  are  related  to  C,  but  that  they  vary  con- 
siderably as  to  strength.  This  arises  from  the  greater  or  less  support  given 
to  the  higher  overtones  by  the  lower  overtones. 

The  9th  overtone  (<T),  for  instance,  is  stronger  than  the  7th  (F  flat),  it 
being  sustained  by  the  3d  (g),  nine  being  divisible  by  three,  while  seven 
stands  alone.  The  loth  overtone  (e~)  is  supported  by  the  5th  (~e),  while 
the  11th  (7)  again  stands  alone.  The  12th  (g),  being  divisible  by  2,  3,  4, 
and  6,  is  supported  by  the  corresponding  overtones,  while  the  13th  (a), 
being  indivisible,  is  much  weaker.  The  14th  (T>  flat),  is  slightly  reinforced 
by  the  weak  7th  (Fflat),  and  the  loth  (F)  by  the  3d  (g)  and  the  5th  (e). 

All  the  tones,  ciieTga  Ffe  F,  do  not  correspond  exactly  in  pitch  to 
the  overtones  of  the  large  C, — 7  should  be  higher,  a, lower.  This  lack  of 
exact  correspondence  can  be  verified  by  the  wavering  of  these  tones  which 
ensues  when  they  are  sounded.     When  the  a  is  sharply  struck  a  figure 

S==  •      The 


resembling  a  turn  will  be  produced,  thus: 


-I-**-   -#- 


wavering  of  a  tone  indicates  the  presence  of  at  least  two  tones;  in  this 
case  it  shows  a  difference  of  pitch  between  the  tone  which  sounds  and  the 
one  which  is  isolated. 


THE  PEDALS  OF   THE  PIANO-FORTE. 


35 


It  is  also  noticeable  that  the  14th  overtone,  hfe.  wavers,  while  the  7th,  bl?, 
is  steady  ;  this  points  to  the  conclusion  that  the  Uk  of  the  untempered  scale 
does  not  form  a  true  octave  with  the  h&  below. 

The  sympathy  of  related  strings  to  each  other  is  most  strikingly  illus- 
trated by  silently  pressing  down  one  key  and  then  striking  several,  or  all 
of  its  overtones,  whereupon  they  will  ring  out  on  the  string  from  which 
the  damper  has  been  raised. 


Sounding. 


Silent. 


Effect. 


S: 


EE! 


-«S?- 


T 


m 


t-q: 


'-J±- 


Sounding. 


Silent. 


Effect. 


<-0- 


4*: 

-T 


-&- 


^ 


--i- 


.iS_  . 


^8 


-*- 


36 


Till-:   PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO- FOKTE. 

Sva. 


Sounding. 


Silent. 


-&- 


The  sensitiveness  of  the  fundamental  string  to  the  vibration  of  its 
related  strings  is  rendered  still  more  apparent  by  its  unresponsiveness 
when  unrelated  tones  are  struck,  in  which  case,  although  a  slight  rever- 
beration is  heard,  the  effect  is  not  to  be  compared  to  that  of  the  harmoni- 
cally related  tones.  Tbis  can  be  tested  by  pressing  down  the  large  C 
and  striking  one  of  its  unrelated  tones,  C  sharp,  d  sharp,  f  sharp,  etc. 

The  effect  of  the  pedal  is  to  free  all  the  strings  from  their  dampers,  so 
that  in  addition  to  the  string  set  vibrating  by  the  direct  blow  of  tbe 
hammer,   all  its  related  strings  vibrate  sympathetically.     Tbis  can  be 


shown  as  follows :  press  down  the  pedal  and  then  strike  the  small  c 


0 


v 


staccato ;  then  noiselessly  press  down  tbe  large  C,  and  release  the  pedal, 
still  holding  down  the  C.  The  c,  although  faint,  will  be  heard,  showing 
that  it  occurs  as  the  first  overtone  of  the  string  C,  which  vibrates  in  its 
first  division. 

That  the  string  of  the  fundamental  tone  vibrates  in  like  manner  with 
the  remaining  overtones  when  they  are  played  with  the  pedal  can  be 
readily  demonstrated  by  isolating  the  C  as  before,  after  playing  any  or  all 
of  its  overtones  with  the  pedal. 


Echo.  ( 
Finger.  | 

Foot. 


£B= 


Sounding. 

A 


Silent. 


|B=^ii^^ii^ 


-&- 


-<5>- 


_! 


&- 


•&- 


1 1. 


THE  PEDALS  OF  THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


37 


Thus  far  we  have  only  considered  the  relationship  of  tones  as  occurring 
from  below  and  rising  upward,  taking  the  ascending  series  of  the  overtones 
as  the  basis  of  our  investigations.  Reversing  this  method,  it  will  be 
found  that  the  upper  tone  of  each  interval  formed  by  the  overtones  with 
the  fundamental  tone  will  sound  if  it  be  isolated  and  the  lower  tone  struck. 
As  expressed  in  notes  the  effect  is  the  same,  whether  we  play  thus: — 


Sounding. 


Silent. 


Sounding. 


EBi 


-j-s- 


I 


or  thus:  vS'zE: 


-«*- 


-&■ 


Silent. 

=1= 


-72- 


Ped.-Q- 


.1. 


-JJ 


Ped.-Q- 


-&- 


1 


only  in  the  first  case  the  tone  will  be  somewhat  fuller,  since  the  longer 
string  gives  a  stronger  sound. 

In  the  following  intervals  the  same  tone  is  heard,  whether  the-  lower 
or  the  upper  tone  be  isolated,  from  which  it  follows  that  the  tones  have 
relations  below  as  well  as  above,  and  we  furthermore  find  that  the  order 
of  the  related  tones  below  forms  a  complete  inversion  of  the  related  tones 
above : —  l 


**>- 


-&- 


-19- 


w- 


--&- 


-&- 


-&- 


Taking  c,   for  instance,  as  the  fundamental  tone,  its  related  tones 

ibove  are  as  follows  :— 

8va 


km.  -21   \ 


i 


:t=: 


0 


Reversing  this  order,  we  have  the  following  series  : — 


Sir 


=t 


b^S: 


St'u. 


38 


THE  PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


Its  relationship  to  c  can  be  proved  by  striking  c  with  the  pedal  and 

isolating,  in  succession,  c,  F,  C,  A  flat,  F,  D,  C  ;  in  each  case  (Twill  sound. 

Sounding.  Silent. 


?=BEH=MEi 


-o 


=t= 


!iH 


/w.e- 


t 


■i— [J-s^ £  II  o  - 


s> 


&■&• 


J-, 


o. 


:=t: 


/TV 

■Hi 


F<J. •-*- 


■HI- 


-<9- 


o 

£ 


These  two  series  of  tones  differ  strikingly  from  each  other,  in  that  by 
isolation  the  tones  of  the  upper  series  reproduce  themselve, 

Silent. 

(2 


Sounding. 


ebee^eezm: 


-G>-±- 


J 


while  those  of  the  lower  series  give  the  fundamental  tones. 

Silent. 


Sounding. 


Ebe±: 


n 


-«?-- 


Jl 


It  follows  then,  since  c~has  seven  related  tones  below  it,  that  when  c 
Is  played  with  the  pedal  it  is  also  heard  as  an  overtone  from  each  one  of 
these  seven  tones— faintly,  to  be  sure,  but  taken  together  they  have  by  no 
means  an  unimportant  influence  upon  the  tone.  This  can  be  shown  by 
first  striking  c  without  the  pedal  and  comparing  its  effect  with  the  fol- 
lowing example,  in  which  the  ^  sustained  by  uniting  the  seven  weak 
undertones  is  even  stronger  than  the  tone  produced  by  striking  the  string 
alone. 


THE   PEDALS  OF  THE   PIANO-FORTE. 

Sounding. 


39 


;e: 


-J&- 


!S?I 


-&- 


Silent. 


§3E 


-H- 


-*& 


^72~ 


Sva.  bassa. 

-& 


1. 


— u 

(A  better  example  of  the  effect  of  the  pedal  upon  the  tone  can  hardly 
be  found  than  in  the  contrast  between  the  dryness  of  the  first  c  and  the 
fullness  and  beauty  of  the  second.) 

High  tones  have  more  relations  below  than  above,  and  low  tones 
more  above  than  below.  The  number  of  high  and  related  tones  is  most 
symmetrical  in  the  middle  strings  of  the  piano,  and  it  is  this  symmetry 
which  makes  the  middle  tones  of  the  instrument  the  finest  when  the 
pedal  is  used. 

The  following  examples  will  illustrate  the  singular  sympathy  of  re- 
lated tones  in  whatever  position  they  are  struck,  i.e.,  either  nearer- to  or 
farther  from  the  fundamental  tone  than  they  naturally  occur;  e.g. :  g  is 
the  second  overtone  of  c ;  if  g  be  struck  and  c  be  isolated,  naturally  the 
g  is  heard ;  c.  g. :  Sounding.  Silent. 


S£        "f~ 

i 

££  C 

-s- 

7?— 

" 

— e-p-*- 

Tt  wi'd,  however,  also  sound  if  the  G 
be  struck  au  octave  lower ;  e.  g. : 


HI 


Sounding. 


Silent. 


:E: 


S— !»-*" 


.11 
II 


Sounding. 


Silent. 


and  even  if  it  be  struck  below  c ,  e.g. 


:e; 


=p 


— z2- 


-e— «*-- 


■M 


40 


THE   PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


Hence  it  appears  that  related  overtones  never  appear  in  any  octave  lowei 
than  the  one  in  which  they  naturally  occur  rising  upward  from  the 
fundamental  tone. 

With  the  related  undertones  the  contrary  is  the  case:   f  is  the  second 
undertone  of  c— if  c  be  struck  and  f  be  isolated  the  c  is  naturally  heard ;  e.  g.: 

A  Silent. 


:t: 


-s?- 


-&- 


-£- 


JJ 


if,  however,  f  be  isolated  an  octave  higher,  C  will  be  heard  an  octave 
jigher;  e.g.:  A  Silent. 


-j— 


r 


/IS 

-s- 


HI 


and  if  it  be  isolated  two  octaves  higher,   thus: 


r~  I — 


■*-■ 


instead  of 


— * 


C  will  also  be  beard  two  octaves 


higher. 


Thus  it  appears  that  related  undertones  vary  in  position  with  that  of 
the  isolated  fundamental.  Tones  belonging  to  both  relations  can  be 
united ;  e.  g. :  Silent 


I 


:t: 


-Y5>- 


It  will  be  noticed  that  such  tones  are  similar  to  the  harmonic  tones  of 
the  violin  and  zither ;  they  are,  in  fact,  none  other  than  harmonic  tones  pro- 
duced on  the  piano  by  similar  conditions.  The  violinist  by  gently 
pressing  the  fourth  of  the  string  gains  its  second  octave;  the  pianist 
produces  the  same  effect  by  noiselessly  pressing  down  the  fourth.  The 
following  example  will  prove  that  the  pianist  can  vie  with  the  violinist 


THE   PEDALS  OF  THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


41 


in  the  production  of  harmonic  tones ;  e.  g. : — 

f  T  — *- 

C«) 


(6) 


:e; 


(a)  Tones  appearing  of  themselves. 

Adagio  assai. 
Sounding. 


:e^_=i^: 


$=%. 


-0- 


* 


Silent. |      (6)  Tones  either  struck  or  noiselessly  pressed  down. 


Sounding. 


Silent. 


SEiEi 


-*— s — =»- 


(a) 


(6) 


W: 


:E=£ 


-(2 


:i 


~N=-=r- 


"^fe^l 


•^       Silent. 

-ft=r4 


-!$"- 


-•- 
-*- 


Silent. 
Sounding. 


— i^-s- 

Sounding. 


:^=£-~ 


"-^ — %^~ — ^-5--^ — fr-^-3-  — g 


Si 


-»-=!-*- 


Even  Jow  tones  can  he  produced  in  this  manner  in  their  original 
pitch  ;  e.  g. : — 


Sounding. 

A 


■* 


£^3eE*E! 


Silent. 


IE: 


A 

■£■ 

-m- 


-y-=*-£- 


-M-£- 


§* 


■+- 


-is— —  »■ 


J2fi- 


42  THE   PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  in  playing  with  the  pedal  many  related 
strings  vibrate  in  addition  to  those  actually  struck.  Not  only  tones 
directly  related  to  the  strings  originally  set  into  vibration  are  heard,  but 
the  longer  they  are  sustained  with  the  pedal,  tbe  more  strings  begin  to 
vibrate,  because  new  relationships  are  constantly  forming.  For  instance  : 
as  soon  as  g  is  heard  as  the  second  overtone  of  C,  the  string  g  is  set  into 
vibration,  and  in  turn  becomes  the  fundamental  of  a  new  family  of 
tones;  soon  after,  <T  begins  to  vibrate,  being  the  second  overtone  of  g,  and 
in  like  manner,  according  to  the  strength  and  duration  of  the  original 
tone,  new  relationships  constantly  develop,  until  all  the  strings  of  the 
instrument  are  set  into  vibration. 

The  difference  between  a  long  tone  played  with  and  without  the 
pedal  should  be  carefully  dwelt  upon  and  practically  tested.  Without 
the  pedal  it  is  heard  as  a  single  straight  line,  and,  in  fact,  only  one  line 
vibrates— that  of  the  string  directly  struck  by  the  hammer.  As  soon, 
however,  as  a  full  tone  is  sustained  by  tbe  pedal  it  begins  to  wander — it 
widens  and  spreads — until  at  last  tbe  whole  instrument  rings,  the  tone 
gaining  in  beauty  and  breadth  the  longer  it  lasts,  since  it  is  constantly 
gaining  new  relations.  The  ear,  to  be  sure,  receives  only  the  impression 
of  the  fundamental  tone,  the  related  tones  being  distinguished  with 
difficulty,  or  possibly  not  at  all,  but  in  reality  tbey  also  sound,  giving  a 
more  intense  and  sympathetic  quality  to  the  tone.  The  best  comparison 
for  the  effect  of  the  pedal  on  the  ear  is  that  of  lustre  to  tbe  eye ;  tbe  color 
of  a  fabric  is  not  altered  by  its  degree  of  lustre,  yet  the  great  difference 
between  lustrous  and  non-lustrous  materials  is  well  known,  as,  for  in- 
stance, that  between  satin  and  crape  of  the  same  hue. 

Since,  then,  the  pedal  strengthens  and  beautifies  the  tone,  it  should 
be  used  with  every  single  tone  and  chord  whose  duration  is  long  enough 
to  admit  of  the  foot  being  lowered  and  raised  during  the  same,  whether 
the  composer  has  indicated  it  or  not.  In  this  case,  the  length  of  the  note 
forms  a  sign  for  the  pedal.  So,  for  example,  should  tbe  pedal  be  used  in 
the  following  j)assage  from  Beethoven's  Sonata  in  D  minor,  Op.  31,  No.  2  : — 

Lar^o. 


-Pi 

— h- 


±: 


— fr?g — 


THE   PEDALS   OF   THE   PrANO-FORTE. 


43 


It  may,  therefore,  be  given  as  a  rule  that  each  note  of  a  melody 
should  be  played  with  a  separate  movement  of  the  pedal,  except  in  case 
of  short  notes,,  when  the  pedal  is  omitted.     It  must  not  be  forgotten  that 
in  order  to  prevent  any  mingling  of  the  tones  the  foot  must  be  moved  a 
little  later  th.m  the  fingers.     ( See  Chapter  I,  page  7.) 

From  what  has  been  said,  it  follows  that  in  slow  tempo,  or  ritardando, 
the  pedal  can  be  used  much  oftener  in  each  measure  than  in  quick  tempo, 
or  accelerando.  Its  mechanism  is  such  that  it  cannot  move  with  great 
rapidity,  but  it  can  be  used  with  very  short  notes,  provided  they  are  sepa- 
rated by  sufficiently  long  pauses. 


*J 


fcs 


It 


rfi3= 


— 3— 3- 


-3— =1- 


I 


-0-    3  -r 


i 


pej-E—e-Zr* 


b 


.jj 


It  is  naturally  most  effective  when  used  in  beginning  the  tone,  which 
is  strongest  at  the  moment  of  percussion  and  thus  more  fully  excites  its 
related  tones— see  a  in  the  following  example:— 

Thai  berg,  Etude  in  A  minor,  Op.  45. 


(«) 


:E; 


se 


-&-*■- 


^-'—1— £- 


-,-^-U-h- 


i9- 


P 


S#-       d     £#-     -8*- 


F^EllgEM 


e-*- 


«-i 


rT 


F 


-r,-  -i 


yet,  even  if  it  be  used  some  time  after,  a  slight  strengthening  of  the  tone 
will  result — see  b: — 


44 


THE   PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


Andante. 


jS- 


(6) 


egs 


-<2- 


&- 


-2^ 


E 


i 

"T 


r 


i. 


■\ 


This  slight  crescendo  may  be  employed  in  the  beginning  of  Weber's 
Concertstiick;  also  in  the  beginning  of  the  Capriccio  in  B  minor,  by 
Mendelssohn. 

Since  the  pedal  strengthens  the  tone  it  follows  that  where  the  finest 
possible  pianissimo  is  required  it  should  not  be  used.  Rubinstein,  when 
he  wishes  only  a  murmur  from  the  piano,  invariably  omits  the  pedal. 
This  rule  does  not,  of  course,  apply  to  such  cases  in  which  the  pedal  must 
be  used  to  sustain  tones  played  staccato. 

The  following  examples  will  show  how  the  sympathetic  sounding 
of  related  tones  can  be  practically  applied  : — 


Adagio. 


Sounding. 


-e-*-4 


r 


THE   PEDALS   OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


45 


The  only  application  of  this  sound-effect  is  to  be  found  in  an  Eclogue 
by  Thoniasehek. 

It  is  less  effective  when  higher  chords  are  isolated,  and  the  tones  oi 
the  same  chord  are  played  below ;  e.  g. : — 
Silent. 

>ilent-  Sounding. 


S-E=_M£ 


Sounding.  .+£l 


:p=t» 


-E-* 


_i_ 


'<$£ 


=f 


Sounding. 


VXJt 


st*- 


-i-#- 


~tg— 


J. 


.5U._i_«_JJ 


The  finest  effect  is  produced  when  high  and  low  chords  are  struck 
together,  and  the  related  tones  between  them  are  isolated  ;  e.  g.: — 


Adagio 

V  TTj* —  ^4 1  - 


- 

33 


E^:*=S: 


-g 


g 


Sounding.  Silent.   Sounding.  Silent.   Sounding.  Silent. 


mM- 


4- 


--»-4- 


-»- 


-P- 


J 


-B5S- = 


— r  £&- 


ssjy 


-«- 


/w. 


_a. 


Sz'tf.  bassa. 


-3-»- 


-3-# 


_i_ 


-#-^- 


-jS>- 


i6 


THE   PEDALS   OF  THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


Sounding.  Silent. 

•#-        

23t=fc==t= 


Sounding. 


Silent. 


Sounding. 


Silent. 


~JZT 


-T- 


:=P 


-=i-# 


JL. 


=£ 


G>- 


-0- 


JL. 


-I 


Thus  far  it  seems  to  have  entirely  escaped  the  attention  of  composers 
that  this  sympathetic  sounding  of  related  strings  can  be  effectively  em- 
ployed in  compositions  for  the  piano.  Even  the  silent  isolation  of  several 
tones  previously  played  with  the  pedal,  although  producing  an  extremely 
Tine  effect,  has  never  been  used;  e.g.: — 

Andantt. 


Sounding. 


b*-—f> 


Such  a  use  of  the  pedal  produces  a  particularly  appropriate  effect  in 
the  following  passage  from  Beethoven's  Sonata  in  C  sharp  minor: — 

Presto  agitato.  . 


P¥§:e: 


4*§ 


f 


+1? 


HSot 


PES: 


^K 


■Gr* 


THE   PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 

Silent. 


47 


also  in  Liszt's  Hungarian  Fantasie;  e.  g.  .•— 


(Note  carefully  the  silent  chord  in  the  left  hand  and  the  rest  in  the 
second  measure  of  the  pedal  line.) 

Bernhardt   Stavenhagen   frequently  takes  advantage  of  this  pedal 
iffect;  e.g.,  in  the  following  passage  from  Liszt's  Sonata  in  B  minor: — 


.*.   .^°^L 


feEEcttES 


Andante  sostenuto. 
B 


±2 


±A 


^ 


t%!s=S 


« 


ft2-|      J— ^=1j 


-#-H 1— 


'       Sounding. 


•    a    ^ 


*»- 


i*3=t 


s^ipE 


e>- 


I 


4± 


-»- 


Fed.' 


2 


-&- 


\-&- 


*J  +•-  U  Silent. 

13 


-fC" 


f^rnrfrv 


18 


THE  PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


In  this  example  he  fills  the  rests  which  exist  in  the  original  between 
A  and  B  by  the  isolated  chord  of  F  sharp  major,  which,  by  its  ethereal 
timbre,  forms  a  fascinating  transition  into  the  tender  and  poetic  move- 
ment which  follows. 

Fundamental  tones  may  also  be  very  effectively  mingled  with  over- 
tones ;  e.  g. : — 


Adagio. 


-&- 


<r»&    •        "   —          "     ■ 

1 <r^0 

~ta 

— I n 

$-f* 

— <r— m 

4-? 

-t  r 

Sounding. 


Sounding 


Silent. 


EH!: 


-&>- 


* 


■nr 


-rrHl 


Skillful  players  occasionally  produce  effects  by  the  fingers  which 
resemble  these  pedal  effects;  e.g.: — 

Lento.  I  rfi       i 


:4: 


•_9 — 


4 


I 


-si n 


etc. 


-*-  -#- 


instead  of 


;£=^g3t= 


Players  sometimes.take  the  liberty  of  playing  the  notes  of  an  accom- 
panying chord  rather  than  the  notes  of  the  melody  above,  even  when  not 


THE   PEDALS   OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


49 


so  directed,  in  order  to  bring  out  the  melody  more  clearly.  Such  a  free- 
dom may  be  allowed  in  the  following  passage  from  Schumann's  Sonata 
in  G  minor: — 

Sehr  schnell. 


Measures  4  and  5  are  better  played  thus: — 


feM- 


IjE 


T 


m 


Sometimes  the  last  note  of  an  accompaniment  may  be  shortened  and 
the  pedal  omitted  in  order  that  the  ear  may  more  easily  follow  the 
melody.  This,  in  case  of  soft  melodies  with  an  insignificant  accompani- 
ment, is  frequently  done.  For  instance,  the  figure  of  the  accompaniment 
in  the  Berceuse  by  Chopin  is  generally  played  by  virtuosos  as  follows :— 


60 


e-2£=fi=ri 


E£pj=R==Ez= 


THE   PEDALS  OF   THE   PIA.NO-FORTE. 


-i — •- 


•i  i 


Andante. 


SljlEE 


:f=* 


instead  of 


''(>^. 


&' 


i — 0 n 


in  this  passage ! 


rit. 


•-* 


-0-t- 


-i — h 


^1 


Pt^=fi 


Such  alterations  should,  of  course,  only  be  made  after  due  considera- 
tion, and  are  never  allowable  in  polyphonic  compositions,  since  in  such 
works  all  the  parts  are  of  equal  importance,  which  is  not  the  case  in 
melodies  with  simple  accompaniments.  Such  liberties  would  be  the  less 
necessary  if  the  accompanying  tone  could  be  suddenly  diminished,  leaving 
the  melody  in  its  original  strength,  but,  unfortunately,  only  the  beginning 
and  the  cessation  of  the  tone  are  at  the  command  of  the  player,  a  sudden 
descrescendo  on  the  same  string  being  impossible.  "Where,  however,  in 
rapid  arpeggios  and  running  passages  a  diminuendo  is  required,  the  pedal 
must  be  released  at  the  instant  the  decrease  of  tone  should  occur.  A  good 
example  of  this  is  found  in  the  first  movement  of  Schumann's  Sonata 
in  G  minor: — 

Ausserst  rasch. 


^a)good.^    P 
(6)  bad.  |— P 


+T 


•H— « 


THE   PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANOFORTE. 


51 


This  rule  is  less  applicable  to  broken  chord  passages  in  slow  tempo, 
which,  even  in  descending,  can  be  played  with  the  pedal  decrescendo  to 
the  end;  a  tine  effect  can  be  obtained  by  playing  in  this  manner  the 
following  passage  hum.  Beethoven's  JSonata  in  C  sharp  minor : — 


Adagio,  {poco  agitato?) 


w  0  i 


n 


-I—  »— -v--0-\— F 1— I— h 

g-4-F-i— fa*— 


-#-+■ 


Ss 


SfeE 


/ 


P 


molto  dim. 


m 


-&i. 


,~&r^ 


-e-*- 


■ — (©- 


J77- 


f- 


-&• 


-&- 


HI 


By  thus  sustaining  the  pedal  the  tones  played  during  the  crescendo 
In  the  first  measure  are  prolonged  into  the  third  measure,  so  that  the 
pianissimo  tones  of  the  last  two  measures  are  heard,  as  it  were,  behind 
a  veil. 

An  exact  knowledge  of  the  overtones  of  each  note  is  of  great  value 
to  the  player,  since  every  upper  tone  can  be  made  fuller  by  strongly 
striking  one  of  its  deeper  related  tones. 


52 


THE   PEDALS  OF  THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


As  an  example,  the  long  D  in  the  conclusion  of  the  tenth  Song 
Without  Words  by  Mendelssohn  can  only  be  sustained  to  the  end  by 
bringing  out  strongly  the  lower  D  with  the  thumb,  that  being  the  next 
lower  related  tone ;  each  time  it  is  firmly  struck,  the  upper  D  is  excited 
to  renewed  vibration  and  thus  prolonged. 

Agitato  e  con  fuoco 
I 


-2— H — #-•-#-»-#-•  !-•-##-#-»-#-  \-m~ 

7    t  Q — '      '      ' — ' — ' — ' — 1«   ' — ' — ' — ' — ' — r — 
^5 — | — | — i — | — | — | — tp_| — | — | — | — | — 1| — 


-0- 


.-*- 


-51--! 


-si-sa- 


It  is  immaterial  whether  the  other  tones  be  struck  with  the  same 
degree  of  strength  or  not,  as  only  the  related  tones  exercise  any  decided 
influence  upon  each  other.  This  can  be  readily  shown  by  the  two  follow- 
ing examples: — 


Silent. 


Silent. 


Sounding. 


Silence 


V    V    V 


Sounding  D. 


THE   PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE  53 

CHAPTER    III 

Thus  far  the  pedal  has  been  considered  only  in  its  effect  on  the  single 
tone  or  chord,  if  it  is  to  be  sustained  during  a  succession  of  tones,  the 
rules  foi  its  use  become  more  complicated  When  this  succession  belongs 
to  one  chord,  the  general  rule  is  to  hold  the  pedal  until  the  chord  changes, 
each  change  of  harmony  being  followed  by  a  change  in  the  pedal.  In 
order  to  avoid  dissonances  from  the  mingling  of  different  harmonies,  the 
pedal  must  not  strike  exactly  with  the  new  chord,  but  a  trifle  later. 
(See  Chapter  I,  page  7.) 

This  necessitates  on  the  part  of  the  player  a  knowledge  of  what 
tones  form  a  chord.  A  good  student  generally  gains  this  knowledge  in 
the  practice  of  such  chord  passages  as  are  found  in  most  collections  of 
finger  exercises;  a  direct  study  of  harmony,  however,  is  of  course  prefer- 
able. It  must  also  be  remarked  that  arpeggios  in  close  position  taken 
with  the  pedal  sound  much  worse  on  the  lower  part  of  the  piano  than  in 
the  middle  or  higher  part 

A  charming  effect  is  sometimes  produced  by  the  retention  of  the 
pedal  during  changing  harmonies  on  the  upper  keys.  This  effect  closely 
resembles  that  of  a  music  box,  which  possesses  no  dampers. 


Sva 


-#-   -a-    J —    -#-     m     -> —    -F-     m  •*—    "•-  --F-     » 


Sempre  Pedal. 


JZ  .*.  +.  7-  -f-  -#-   -  -f-  -#-  m 

H-fc 1 1 1 1 1 1 * 1 1 F 0- 


The  lower  the  pitch  of  the  chords  the  less  endurable  becomes  this 
holding  of  the  pedal  during  changes  of  harmony,  and  on  the  very  low 
keys  even  the  close  position  of  a  broken  chord  played  with  the  pedal 
sounds  more  or  less  false.  When,  therefore,  a  pure  tone  is  desired,  it  is 
best  to  employ  the  pedal  only  as  the  arpeggio  approaches  the  middle  por- 
tion of  the  piano.  For  instance,  in  the  following  example,  the  pedalling 
B  is  decidedly  better  than  A.  Should  its  effect,  however,  be  thought  too 
dry,  the  pedal  can  be  used  as  in  C. 


54 


THE   PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


Sva. 


A. 


B 


_fi. 
■fl 


-*;. 

-«>- 


._!. 


s>- 


-s>- 


\—&- 


-3— #— 3— 3- 


~L 


.1. 


■s>~ 


-Ns>- 


Jl 


J] 
II 

J 


Q   1/  U  '  I  'I  '  I  " 

Relatively  speaking,  the  best  effect  of  low,  close  positions  occurs  in 
the  case  of  the  chord  of  the  diminished  seventh.  ^ 


r"-<s>- 


_L 


~L 


*>- 


— — ff-HI 

Low  minor  chords  seem  to  sound  a  trifle  better  than  major  chords 
of  the  same  pitch;  the  difference  is,  however,  so  slight  that  it  is  hardly 
worth  while  considering,  as  all  deep,  close  positions  sound  more  or  less 
harsh  when  they  stand  alone.  The  effect  is  different  when  a  deep,  broken 
chord  is  accompanied  by  full  chords  in  a  higher  position,  since  in  such  a 
case  the  dissonance  of  the  low  tones  is  covered  by  the  clear  ring  of  those 
above ;  e.g.: — 

Allegro  moderate. 


•3T 


THE   PEDALS  OF  THE   PIANO-FORTE.  55 

It  must  not  be  understood,  however,  that  the  pedal  should  never  be 
used  with  unaccompanied,  close  positions  of  low  chords,  since  it  may 
readily  occur  that  such  a  mingling  of  tones  is  necessary  in  order  to 
characterize  the  spirit  of  the  composition.  For  artistic  purposes  much 
can  be  used  which  is  not  strictly  beautiful,  and  in  exceptional  cases,  even 
that  which  is  ugly,  since  thus  only  art  becomes  the  medium  of  trans- 
lating the  varying  emotions  of  mankind.  Where,  however,  purity  of 
tone  is  required,  recourse  must  be  had  to  .the  order  of  intervals  offered  by 
Nature  in  the  series  of  overtones.  The  finest  effect  is  produced  when  the 
arpeggio  corresponds  to  this  progression  ;  e.  g. : — 


&va 


L.  H.  ZZ 


-It- 1— l- 


rr tfH 


Where  absolute  beauty  of  tone  can  be  disregarded,  much  can  be 
allowed.  In  such  cases  the  pedal  can  be  used  in  scale  passages,  and  it 
even  renders  possible  the  striking  together  of  adjacent  keys,  as  will  be 
shown  further  on. 

The  use  of  the  pedal  in  scale  passages  is  least  allowable  when  the 
tones  move  with  but  moderate  rapidity  and  equal  strength  in  the  middle 
or  lower  portion  of  the  piano;  with  the  highest  tones  it  is  immaterial 
whether  it  be  used  or  not,  since  the  shortest  strings  of  the  piano  possess 
no  dampers.  For  this  reason  the  pedal  can  very  rarely  be  employed  in 
the  older  polyphonic  music,  since  it  generally  moves  by  regular  steps 
of  the  scale  with  but  little  strength  and  rapidity,  its  range  being  also 
limited  to  the  middle  octaves  of  the  instrument.  In  some  compositions 
of  that  school  which  contain  broken  chords  it  can  be  introduced,  but 
generally  speaking,  its  effect  in  scale  progressions  is  best  if  one  tone— or, 
what  is  still  better,  a  full  chord — be  struck  fortissimo.  In  this  case  the 
relationship  of  tones  again  plays  an  important  part.  In  order  to  show 
once  more  the  striking  difference  between  related  and  unrelated  tones, 


56 


THE   PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


press  down  noiselessly  the  large  C  with  the  left  hand,  and  then  play  the 
scale  of  C  major  fortissimo  in  octaves  with  the  right  hand  ;  e.g.: — 


R.  H.  playing. 


smmmm 


„  As  echo : the  chord 
of  C  major. 


L.  H.  silent. 

After  the  run  has  been  finished,  only  the  tones  C,  E,  and  G,  related 
to  C,  will  be  heard.  The  unrelated  tones,  F,  A,  and  B,  are  silent,  while 
the~d  may  sound  faintly  as  the  ninth  overtone.  This  shows  that  the 
free  string  C,  out  of  the  entire  scale,  has  only  linked  itself  to  its  related 
tones.  This  experiment  is  still  more  interesting  if  the  scale  be  played 
with  the  pedal  and  the  C  isolated  afterward  ;  e.  g.: — 


R.  H.  playing  with  one  finger, 

Presto  plissando. 


L.  h.  silent. 

As  echo ;    the 

chord  of  C  major. 


L.  H.  silent. 


-|-r- 


+r 


-t-r 


^_i_— _^. 


HI 


From  this  can  be  deduced  the  important  rule,  that  the  pedal  may 
be  used  with  scales  or  ornamented  chord  passages  if  at  any  point  one 
tone  or  chord  be  struck  with  great  force.  The  lower  and  stronger 
this  tone  or  chord  the  quicker  and  lighter  the  run,  and  the  higher  it  lies 
the  better  will  be  the  effect;  e.  g.  : — 


THE  PEDALS  OF   THE  PIANO-FORTE. 

&va 


57 


<Z       glissando. 


^m 


#-* 


T-* 


•-#- 


*> 


-0-0 


•-* 


if  -0-P  r  r 

ff 

sfz 


i   I   I 


m^EE^ 


±-0  2r- 


<- 

<- 
<- 


-1-; 


o 
o- 


HI 


In  this  case,  as  in  the  previous  examples,  the  tones  of  the  scale  which 
»re  related  to  the  chord,  group  themselves  around  it  and  the  unrelated  tones 
die  away;  not  so  soon  as  in  the  foregoing  examples,  but  in  a  short  time 
they  entirely  disappear,  while  the  related  tones  are  sustained.  It  must 
be  well  understood  that  such  a  use  of  the  pedal  requires  the  greatest 
possible  fortissimo  in  the  strong  tone  or  chord.  "Without  this,  or  with 
mere  equality  of  strength,  the  passage  will  sound  wild  and  confused;  the 
related  tones  will  not  form  themselves  around  the  dominant  tone,  but 
scatter,  so  that  it  may  very  well  happen  that  of  two  players  using  the 
pedal  alike,  one  will  make  a  good  effect — the  other,  a  bad  one. 

Players  who  have  the  skill  to  bring  the  melody  out  clearly  soften 
many  dissonances  even  without  the  pedal ;  the  related  tones  blend  with 
the  melody,  while  the  others  fade  away.  An  interesting  experiment  can 
be  made,  showing  what  an  influence  one  strong  tone  has  upon  the  others. 
In  striking  a  chord  with  the  pedal,  on  listening  attentively,  the  tones 
will  also  be  heard  in  arpeggio,  or  in  succession,  one  after  the  other.  This 
arpeggio  always  has  the  strongest  tone  of  the  chord  for  its  starting  point. 

If,  in  the  following  chord,     3fc—  the  lowest  tone  be  made 


the  strongest,  the  arpeggio  is  heard  as  follows :— 


58  THE  PEDALS  OF  THE  PIANO-FORTE. 

if  the  upper  tone  be  made  the  strongest,  it  is  heard  as  follows : — 


tumpm 


the  third  and  fourth  times  moving  twice  as  slowly ;  the  fifth  and  sixth 
times  four  times  as  slowly.  It  is  still  more  remarkable  if  seven  tones  be 
struck  together,  the  middle  one  being  the  strongest,  in  which  case  the 
arpeggio  begins  in  the  middle  and  moves  both  up  and  down  from  that 
point;  e.g.: — 


This  shows  that  the  strongest  tone  is,  so  to  speak,  the  focus  from 
which  the  tone-waves  emerge,  all  the  other  tones  being  governed  by  it. 

In  connection  with  the  use  of  the  pedal  in  scales,  the  question  of  the 
instrument  comes  into  consideration.  It  is  well  known  that  upright 
pianos  have  a  weaker  bass  than  grand  pianos.  Now,  if  the  composer 
relies  upon  the  greatest  fortissimo  in  the  bass  of  a  grand  piano,  in  order 
to  use  the  pedal  during  a  long  scale,  the  passage  which  on  such  a  piano 
will  sound  well  or  at  least  be  endurable,  will  be  ineffective,  or  sound 
badly  on  an  upright  piano. 

There  is  also  a  meat  difference  between  instruments  of  the  same 
kind, — not  all  grand  pianos  have  an  equally  good  bass  and  treble.  The 
stronger  the  bass,  the  longer  the  pedal  can  be  sustained  during  scales 
played  after  low,  strong  tones.  On  a  good  grand  piano  much  can  be 
executed  which  otherwise  would  be  considered  impossible.  The  only 
rule  that  can  be  given  to  decide  how  far  this  use  of  the  pedal  can  be 
carried,  is  to  depend  entirely  upon  the  ear,  and  to  release  the  pedal  as 
soon  as  its  effect  is  bad. 


THE   PEDALS   OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


59 


Even  double  scales  in  sixths  sound  well  with  the  pedal,  provided 
they  are  played  with  the  utmost  rapidity,  and  the  sustained  tones  with 
greatest  possible  strength  ;   e.  g. : — 


Allegro  energtco. 


8va. 


i — i- 


^tj  -»~p 


k3: 


4 — s- — ' 
t± — ^ — | 


-#-*: 


I      I 


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•■■*- 


TZl 


n-rtryfTt"i~-|-t-rr 


-•-  -«-  -#- 


8z/fl. 


.-#-  -*- 


' U-rffiv a-»-*-|— i— ' w*'\    '    * — I — — ' — I — ' — I \£±  ' 1 1 — \—<^~- H 


.-*■    +- 


.0-1.. 


.-I- 


^        t« 


&-*-- 


Low  scales  can  also  be  played  beneath  a  melody,  as  in  the  following 
passage  from  Beethoven's  Sonata  in  C,  Op.  53,  popularly  known  as  the 
"Storm  Sonata."     The  rolling  effect  thus  produced  gives  it  a  peculiarly 


characteristic  coloring. 


60  THE   PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 

Allegro  con  brio. 


ygg— - Ui,L^U   ^^U|  ^  •  J     — —     ^^ —      (co  ^rj T~*~~H 

P/0  \/ 


Low  scales  played  with  the  utmost  strength  and  rapidity  beneath 
fortissimo  chords,  produce  a  powerful  effect,  resembling  the  roll  of 
thunder;  e.g.,  Thalberg's  Fantasie  on  the  Huguenots: — 


Agitato. 

A . 


i=jfc 


E 


-0 1 0 K 

I  '  I 


»- 


-0—0-- 


$t 


-0 — i- 


fS.f- 


T 


&& 


ES 


:£*- 


ff 


e-r-^ 


-»- 
u 


THE   PEDALS   OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


61 


fcS: 


-0- 


ff 


etc. 


1 — *W^t — -i — I — I     I— i ■5fis^5S^"feSs^^iL— — f- 


Under  particularly  favorable  circumstances,  even  the  chromatic  scale 
can  be  played  in  the  bass  if  one  tone  of  the  scale  be  brought  out  with 
great  power,  as  the  C $  in  the  following  example : — 


$fc# 


Allegro  vivo. 


PS 


*   tW& 


E 


-<s>- 


r~r 


-G> 0—0- 


&Of: 


-£L- 


sr 


0W- 


—Si 


*—  ■ 


T 


t— r~  +r 


l—M 


<52 


THE   PEDALS   OF   THE   PIANO   FOKTE. 


In  all  the  preceding  eases  the  effect  of  the  pedal  is  not  a  purely 
musical  one,  but  is  particularly  appropriate  for  the  imitation  of  the  un- 
fettered powers  of  nature — storm,  thunder,  etc.  The  dissonances  resulting 
from  the  mingling  of  the  unrelated  tones  only  serve  to  heighten  the  idea 
of  elementary  conflict,  and  in  all  casee  where  the  utmost  development  of 
virtuosity  is  artistically  allowable,  this  use  of  the  pedal  is  of  surprisingly 
powerful  effect. 

In  orchestral  music  similar  effects  are  also  found.  Of  these,  the' 
finale  of  the  Tannhauser  Overture,  by  Wagner,  is  the  most  popular 
example,  and  the  same  master's  Fire  Magic,  from  the  Walkiire,  the  most 
daring.  The  rich  profusion  of  melodic  figures  in  these  and  in  similarly 
treated  orchestral  works  is  only  rendered  possible  by  the  sustained 
fortissimo  tones  of  the  melody.  A  great  many  compositions  for  the 
piano,  as  well  as  for  orchestra,  look  almost  incredible  to  the  eye,  when  it 
is  considered  what  is  actually  heard  at  one  time,  through  the  sustaining 
power  of  the  pedal  on  the  one  hand,  and  on  the  other,  by  what  stands 
together  in  the  orchestral  score.  In  such  cases  it  almost  seems  as  though 
the  ear  were  less  sensitive  than  the  eye. 

To  give  an  extreme  example  of  the  extent  to  which  this  use  of  the 
pedal  may  be  carried,  the  author  has  written  out  several  measures  from 
which,  on  paper,  an  ear-splitting  discord  would  be  inferred,  but  when 
played  with  the  utmost  strength  on  a  concert  grand  piano  are  not  only 
endurable,  but  even  produce  an  almost  brilliant  effect.  It  will  be  seen 
that  the  ear  supports  unexpectedly  well,  particularly  in  the  third  measure, 
the  striking  together  of  five  adjacent  keys,  but  only  in  case  the  bass  be 
played  with  the  greatest  possible  strength  : — 


K.  H.  two  octaves  higher. 


Allegro  vivo. 


_B-__ *mM— 


&2r 


— I — i— 0 — #-fi — = — % 

-m — m — «-  -#-*» •»■ 

■g — g — *-' P h- 


rn^K 


-0- 


-G>- 


-f-f" 


T 


THE   PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


63 


8va. 


*— %*  *#  l» 


m 


JSSr 


-•■         -#*    -0*-    -•'    -#*    -•*    -•*  -5 


4#- 


-*» — ~ 


-<5>- 


T 


t 


*-» 


Such  a  manner  of  writing  is,  of  course,  only  allowable,  if  at  all,  in 
passages  where  great  sonorousness  is  desired ;  in  all  others  the  effect  would 
be  much  too  harsh.  Even  the  greatest  climax  should  seldom  go  as  far  as 
the  above  example,  which  is  only  given  as  a  curiosity,  but  passages 
almost  as  daring  can  be  found  in  the  modern  concert  literature.  As  an 
example  can  be  quoted  the  trill  of  the  major  ninth  which  Liszt 
continues  during  several  pages  in  the  finale  of  his  transcription  of 
Mendelssohn's  Wedding  March  : — 


8i'a. 


j 0 0 0 1 1 U 


-e-r- 


r 

i 


-G>- 


-* 


■fr-HI 


In  an  ordinary  treatment  of  the  subject,  a  trill  of  a  major  second 
would  have  been  used,  or  at  most,  an  octave  tremolo,  but  for  Liszt  neither 
of  these  resources  possessed  the  necessary  brilliancy,  so  he  devised  the 
shriller  effect  of  the  trill  of  the  ninth.  Its  use  is  facilitated  by  its  high 
position  and  the  fortissimo  chords  of  the  melody  in  the  middle  portion  of 


64 


THE  PEDALS  OF   THE  PIANO-FORTE. 


the  keyboard.     When  this  passage  is  played  with  the  requisite  degro 
of  execution,  the  effect  of  the  trill  on  the  ear  is  that  of  an  octave  some- 
what sharp. 

Such  deceptions  are  not  uncommon.  A  similar  one  can  be  produced 
in  the  Scherzo  from  the  Sonata  in  G  minor  by  Schumann.  If  the  first 
two  measures  are  played  with  sufficient  bravura,  as  at  ( 6 ),  the  effect  will 
be  the  same  as  in  the  original,  (a),  provided  the  (I  and  g~  in  the  right 
hand  are  strongly  brought  out.  This  arises  from  the  fact  that  every 
sharply  struck  second  begins  to  waver,  giving  the  effect  of  a  trill  :— 


.0 — 0- 


— 3 


-*- — 0 — 3-« — 0 — ^-8— 


A 


■0 — 0 — a-# — 0 — a-» — 0  — tr* — * — s-0 • — » • its 

r~r  uv  W%  BS  ItmlP"  f  f 


:^ — t 


_3 


S-T-^ 


r 


*i 


i^s 


r==: 


rtj 


#*  *»* 


3 


-i-s^i— 3 — i-^^i — 3- 


C 


i- 


«L 


?I 


A 


+ 


-»— n. 


In  the  examples  thus  far  quoted,  the  condition  has  always  been  made 
that  one  strong,  harmonic  tone  be  struck,  which,  by  reason  of  its  strength, 
controls  all  the  discordant  elements  brought  together  by  the  use  of  the 
pedal.  Under  peculiarly  favorable  circumstances,  scales  and  runs  can  be 
played  with  the  pedal,  without  any  such  dominant  tone.  In  this  May 
Rubinstein  produces  one  of  his  finest  pedal  effects.  In  rapid,  fortissimo 
scales,  either  major  or  minor,  played  with  both  hands  throughout  the 
whole  extent  of  the  piano,  he  sometimes  uses  the  peclal?  omitting  it, 
however,  in  ascending,  as  the  scale  reaches  the  middle  tones  and  only 
resuming  it  in  descending  when  the  same  point  is  again  reached. 


THE  PEDALS  OP  THE  PIANO-FORTE. 


63 


B.  H.  an  octave  higher. 

Prestissimo. 


£fc 


£3E 


L.H.  IJI 


— S3 — 9* — ^~ 

-^1 »• 0 — 4* — -P— — I— 

-0 « amtsmme 


.     ,     f     f   t 


-l^1- 


tK      £     &#.     I*- 


i 


-iS>- 


-<s>- 


r-s>- 


This  effect  forms  the  greatest  fortissimo  of  which  the  piano  is  capable, 
and  only  the  limitation  in  the  use  of  the  pedal  in  connection  with  the 
greatest  strength  of  touch  renders  it  endurable  to  the  ear.  The  lower 
tones  being  the  strongest,  the  pedal  is  held  down  while  each  new  tone  is 
struck  with  sufficient  force  to  overpower  the  one  preceding.  In  the 
middle  tones,  which  are  not  strong  enough  to  overpower  the  low  tones, 
the  pedal  is  omitted,  but  it  is  difficult  for  the  ear  to  decide  just  at  what 
point  this  takes  place.  During  the  few  tones  immediately  following  its 
release,  the  bass  strings  still  sound,  and  only  die  away  as  the  weaker 
tones  are  reached,  and  these  in  turn  sound  as  full  as  those  preceding^ 
since  they  no  longer  contend  against  the  roar  of  the  low  tones. 

The  pedal  may  be  used  for  a  short  time  with  double  runs,  if  they  are 
played  in  the  most  rapid  tempo;  e.  g.,  the  scale  in  tenths  just  before  the 
conclusion  of  Chopin's  Ballade  in  G  minor.  This  effect  should  not  be 
continued  for  too  long  a  time,  or  it  becomes  rough  and  unmusical,  and 
for  this  reason  the  pedal  can  seldom  be  sustained  in  playing  the  chromatic 
scale,  which,  having  twelve  tones  in  the  octave,  progresses  more  slowly 
than  the  diatonic  scale,  which  has  but  seven  tones  in  the  octave.     The 


66  THE   PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 

pedal  can  only  be  used  with  the  chromatic  scale  in  short  passages,  or,  if 
it  be  desired  to  use  it  with  a  long  chromatic  scale,  or  in  passages  composed 
of  progressions  with  varying  harmony,  the  foot  must  be  raised  and 
lowered  frequently  in  a  trilling  manner,  in  order  to  avoid  a  too  great 
confusion.  This  use  of  the  pedal  may  at  first  seem  impossible,  but  as  a 
case  in  point  the  chromatic  scale  in  the  finale  of  Chopin's  Scherzo  in  B 
minor  can  be  taken.  Artists  always  play  this  passage  with  the  pedal, 
and  rightly  so,  since  only  through  its  use  can  the  despairing  passion  of 
the  composition  be  adequately  depicted.  If  such  passages  are  performed 
with  the  utmost  clearness  of  touch,  their  character  is  lost,  and  one  is 
strongly  reminded  of  the  manner  in  which  Czerny's  School  of  Velocity 
should  be  played. 

A  difference  can  be  found  between  the  major  and  minor  modes;  low 
minor  scales  sound  somewhat  better  with  the  pedal  than  major  scales  in 
the  same  position.  A  still  greater  difference  exists  between  ascending 
and  descending  scales.  If  the  pedal  be  used  in  an  ascending  scale,  all  the 
tones  of  which  are  played  with  equal  strength,  the  effect  will  be  extremely 
false;  but  if  a  descending  scale  be  played  in  the  same  manner,  the  effect 
will  be  decidedly  better.  This  arises  from  the  fact  that  in  descending 
the  tones  increase  in  strength,  so  that  each  new  tone  overpowers  the  one 
preceding.  From  this  may  be  deduced  the  rule  that,  in  descending  the 
scale  with  the  pedal  it  is  not  necessary  to  play  fortissimo,  but  on  the 
contrary,  a  far  finer  effect  is  obtained  by  beginning  the  scale  pianissimo 
and  making  a  crescendo  in  descending.  The  effect  is  best  when  it  is 
supported  by  a  corresponding  harmonic  accompaniment;  e.g.; — 


Sva. 


Allegro.  'jfl 


-»■ 


-&- 


THE  PEDALS  OP  THE  PIANO-FORTE. 


6? 


jfizr 


^a ' — 0 — _ — m — — _ — i — l__ 1 


rit. 


PP 


-&- 


In  this  case  each  tone  overpowers  the  one  preceding  more  readily  in 
consequence  of  the  crescendo.  The  unrelated  tones  also  die  away  sooner, 
because  they  are  not  sustained  by  the  tones  of  the  chord  in  the  accom- 
paniment. By  skillful  management  an  ascending  scale  can  also  be 
played  with  the  pedal.  The  effect  is  somewhat  better  if  the  first  and 
third  tones  of  the  scale  are  at  the  distance  of  a  minor  third  and  the  scale 
be  played  crescendo,  from  pp,  to  forte  : — 


TranquiUo. 


-0- 


•  - 
0- 

0 


i~ 


-0 0 — r-  •■- 

• * 0- 


p 


ff 


-0-0 


tr: 


1-^- 


-& 


-]-;- 


Soft  descending  scales  with  the  pedal  produce  the  most  charming 
effect  when  preceded  by  an  arpeggio  played  forte,   carried    up  t<>  thy 

highest  tone. 


68 


THE  PEDALS  OF  THE   PIANO-FORTE. 
Sva 


Allegro. 


5*E 


m 


•  *  F       •  '  ip*s25  [ 


A 


*^L         yV\       •      -0-.     , 


1 


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F 


«/. 


HffiS 


H *- 


ftfr   4     I — i [ 


4: 


-s>- 


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-s>- 


8w*. 


fit 


S=i 


■#- • 


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Adagio. 


S=L 


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S^ 


-£ 


1 — — r-s> 

=_i lb 


p^- 


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-L, 


r 


X, 


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Even  the  chromatic  scale  played  in  this  way  sounds  remarkably 
tslear  and  pure: — 

Sva 


Allegro. 


I 


fc-fe 


-2zzt 


-•-  t  ?:   f   x  ^   i 


IBM 


£ £ 


nv 


■art — 


/ 


y — 4 — &■■ 


~l- 


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THE  PEDALS  OF   THE  PIANO-FORTE. 


69 


In  such  cases  the  tones  betray  no  trace  of  mingling  with  each  other. 
This  is  due  to  a  combination  of  circumstances,  all  favorable  to  tbe  use  of 
the  pedal :  first,  the  unrelated  tones  of  the  scale  are  in  the  minority,  since 
every  tone  of  the  chord  occurs  twice  in  the  same  place,  once  forte  in 
going  up  the  arpeggio,  and  again  piano  in  coining  down,  while  the  un- 
related tones  of  the  scale  occur  but  once,  and  then  piano;  secondly,  the 
scale  descends,  which,  as  we  have  just  seen,  is  favorable  to  the  use  of  the 
pedal.  Thus  it  happens  that  the  dissonant  tones  are,  as  it  were,  swallowed 
up  by  those  consonant  to  the  harmony. 

Many  passages  might  be  cited  where  the  pedal  may  be  used  in  this 
way ;  e.  g.,  the  beginning  of  the  Concertstuck  by  Weber  : — 

Larghetto. 

f  ( s/arcafo.') 
R.  H 


-S>- 


TO 


THE   PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO- FORTE. 


It  is  by  no  means  essential  that  an  extended  arpeggio  should  precede 
the  scale.  It  is  only  necessary  to  accent  somewhat  sharply  two  or  three 
harmonic  tones  in  the  passage  before  the  scale,  as  in  the  first  measure 
of  the  following  example — indeed,  scales  and  arpeggios  lying  rather  high 
can  be  played  with  an  uninterrupted  use  of  the  pedal  if,  in  the  passage 
immediately  preceding  them,  the  fundamental  tone  of  the  chord  be  brought 
out  rather  more  than  the  others.  For  instance,  the  second,  third,  fourth, 
and  fifth  measures  of  the  following  example  can  be  played  with  an 
unbroken  use  of  the  pedal  if  the  D  flat,  occurring  in  the  right  hand,  be 
always  slightly  accented: — 


Chopin :  Berceuse. 

Andante. 

8va , 


-«-#- 


£-.- 


fi 


-fr- 


Sva. 


g^p^^l^l^^t^^J^^^^E 


&- 


w 


■+- 


—¥- 


-t— 


:t: 


* — ' 


Z^ 


JJ. 


LguJL 


Scales  in  octaves  may  also  be  executed  in  this  way, 


THE  PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


71 


In  the  following  passage  from  Beethoven's  Sonata  in  C  major,  Op.  53, 
the  veiled  effect  thereby  produced  seems  to  be  particularly  appropriate  : — 


Allegro  con  brio. 


fell 


:e=a; 


Ped. 


±: 


-»- 
7: 


-m- 

*\ — 


f 


g: 


r- 


*==fc 


* 


-0- 

-9- 


One  of  the  most  charming  effects  on  the  piano  is  that  of  the  echo. 
If  one  calls  into  the  piano  when  the  dampers  are  raised  from  the  strings 
an  echo  is  heard  returning  the  call  with  the  characteristic  timbre  of  the 
voice.  The  instrument  is  naturally  even  more  responsive  in  echoing  its 
own  tones. 

Every  tone  figure  can  be  heard  as  an  echo  when  the  damper  pedal  is 
sustained.  This  effect  is  particularly  applicable  to  tones  which  lie  rather 
high,  and  can  be  used  in  Liszt's  compositions  especially  in  almost 
numberless  instances.  The  trill  furnishes  one  of  the  finest  effects  of  the 
echo.     If  the  following  be  played : — 

Vivo. 
#£*£  g  ± 


m 


-&- 


-1— , 


& 


1 


-G>- 


JJ 
II 


the  trill  is  heard  as  an  echo  in  the  second,  third,  and  fourth  measures— at 
first  very  faintly,  but  gaining  in  strength  later  on.  This  method  is  therefore 
ineffective;  if  the  finger-trill  is  to  blend  with  the  echo-trill  the  former 
must  at  first  be  played  ff  and  diminished  to  ]>p,  when  it  must  be  played 
as  softly  as  possible  and  finally  cease  entirely,  only  to  begin  again  in 
somewhat  slower  tempo,  accelerando  and  crescendo;  e.  g.: — 


72 


ff.A        A 


THE  PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 

decres. 


H h- 


poco  rit. 


accel. 


fc. 


'&: 


—E-* 


.1. 


&>- 


.1. 


(S>- 


J 


If  this  execution  be  carried  out  precisely  as  given,  neither  the  player 
nor  the  hearer  will  be  able  to  tell  whether  the  hammers  really  strike  the 
strings  or  whether  the  pianissimo  trill  is  merely  an  echo.  The  player  is,  of 
course,  supposed  to  possess  the  ability  to  play  the  trill  ff  as  well  as  pp. 

Not  only  the  trill  but  every  rapid  tone  figure,  especially  when  it  lies 
high,  can  be  played  in  this  way;  e.g.,  the  thirty-second  notes  just  before 
the  entrance  of  the  theme  in  Liszt's  Rigoletto  Fantasie,  many  places  in 
his  Hungarian  Fantasie,  etc. 

Suc'h  passages  produce  a  remarkable  effect  in  concerts,  not  only 
because  they  are  beautiful  in  themselves,  but  because  they  seem  mys- 
terious to  the  hearer,  who  is  not  able  to  discover  how  they  are  produced. 

Another  fine  effect  is  gained  by  playing  an  arpeggio  ff  with  raised 
dampers;  then,  after  a  pause,  without  lifting  the  pedal,  playing  the  same 
arpeggio,  somewhat  more  slowly  and  pp.  The  pp  can  be  still  further 
reduced  by  using  the  soft  pedal — una  corda. 

Liszt,  the  poet  of  sound,  originated  this  effect  and  applied  it  in  his 
transcription  of  the  "Spinning  Song"  from  the  Flying  Dutchman;  e.g.: 

Sva 


(The  second  time  slower  and  pp;  the  same  in  D  minor.) 

As  a  consequence  of  the  foregoing  rules,  it  may  be  stated,  not  without 
hesitation  and  with  much  reserve,  that  the  pedal  may  be  used  momen- 
tarily with  every  tone  figure  if  the  tones  following  its  use  be  played  with 


THE  PEDALS  OF  THE  PIANO-FORTE.  73 

sufficient  strength.  The  stronger  these  are  given,  the  better  is  its  effect. 
This  is  particularly  the  case  in  major  scales  where  great  brilliancy  is 
required;  c.  g.,  tbe  C  major  scale  in  octaves  in  Weber's  Invitation  to  the 
Dance;  also,  in  stormy  passages  like  the  following  from  Mendelssohn's 
Concerto  in  G  minor  : — 

Molto  allegro  con  fuoco. 

R.  H.    A         _ 

-0-M-0 


gaJmi  laflbltffAggB^^si 


L.  h.  an  octave  lower. 


^     |  i,  I  I    J  il 

This  intermingling  of  tones  can  be  particularly  employed  in  com- 
positions of  a  wild  and  gloomy  character,  but  it  should  never  be  allowed 
to  last  too  long,  else  the  effect  becomes  harsh  and  discordant  in  the 
extreme. 

Where  the  figure  demands  a  rolling  or  swelling  effect,  frequent  short 
strokes  of  the  pedal,  resulting  in  a  trilling  movement  of  tbe  foot,  are 
more  desirable  than  too  long  a  pressure  at  one  time. 

In  the  finale  to  the  Sonata  in  B  flat  minor  by  Chopin,  and  in  the 
Pastoral  Overture,  Op.  126,  by  Heller,  this  method  of  using  the  pedal  can 
be  employed  with  fine  effect ;  e.  g. : — 

Heller :  Pastoral  Overture,  Op.  126. 

Molto  allegro. 

A-- ; -■*.  ht 


& 0 — r1*—  0-g— — | -i ^ ft — r 

fo=p=ig^= Tm^^fTT^fTdnr-  r~t 


It  will  be  observed  that  these  two  measures  entirely  lose  their  char- 
acter if  the  pedal  be  not  used.  In  this  and  in  similar  eases  the  crescendo 
thus  acquired  is  a  most  valuable  adjunct  in  producing  a  climax.     Players 


74 


THE   PEDALS  OF   THE  PIANO-FORTE. 


who,  like  Rubinstein,  possess  a  technic  enabling  them  to  steadily  increase 
the  strength  of  tone  can  sustain  the  pedal  many  measures,  particularly 
in  the  middle  portion  of  the  instrument. 

In  giving  as  an  example  of  this  use  of  the  pedal,  the  following 
passage  from  Beethoven's  Sonata  in  D  minor,  Op.  31,  it  must  be  clearly 
understood  that  it  is  by  no  means  to  be  considered  as  a  model — it  is  taken 
as  an  extreme  illustration  to  show  that  what  sometimes  appears  impos- 
sible is  not  always  so  in  reality  : — 


Allegro. 


^R.  h. 


it#  Q 


nan  staccahssimo 

\ — i- 


BEJ^g%z23i*r  =g^E^=iSr=P=  gp^S==P^F=g= : 


tidf 


1/  L.  h.  an  octave  lower. 


~u, 


■&- 


-&- 


T 


t 


+ 


'       -II 


-<s>- 


HI 


The  pedaling  given  in  this  example  is  favored  by  the  constant 
recurrence  of  the  a,  which  allows  the  player  to  observe  the  rule  previously 
given,  which  is  to  increase  the  strength  of  each  successive  tone. 

It  would,  indeed,  be  dangerous  if  such  a  use  of  the  pedal  were  to  be 
prescribed  in  all  similar  cases  and  for  all  players.  Critics  who  admire 
such  tours  deforce  by  the  virtuoso  are  often  the  first  to  condemn  the 
means  by  which  the  effect  is  produced.  It  must  be  clearly  understood 
that  it  is  only  allowable  in  passages  of  the  highest  excitement,  and  then 


THE  PEDALS  OF  THE   PIANO-FORTE.  75 

only  to  those  whose  endurance  and  strength  of  touch  are  so  far  developed 
as  to  admit  of  a  constant  crescendo.  The  instant  that  this  steady  increase 
of  tone  is  neglected,  the  sustained  use  of  the  pedal  becomes  unbearable, 
so  that  none  but  players  possessing  the  highest  degree  of  technic  should 
ever  attempt  such  an  effect. 

In  this  connection  the  question  of  locality  comes  into  consideration. 
In  large  halls,  virtuosos  carry  the  use  of  the  pedal  to  a  much  greater 
extreme  than  in  small  rooms.  When  the  principal  tones  are  brought  out 
with  sufficient  strength,  the  unrelated  tones  soon  disappear,  and  only 
those  essential  to  the  harmony  are  clearly  heard  at  a  distance. 

It  often  seems  in  large  spaces  as  though  a  war  ensued  between  the 
sound  waves,  in  which  the  strongest  tone  appears  as  victor;  around  it 
gather  its  related  tones,  the  others  being  lost  on  the  way,  and  thus  it 
occurs  that  only  the  strong  tone  and  its  relations  penetrate  to  any  great 
distance.  Mozart's  father,  in  his  violin  school,  recommends  the  artist  to 
consider  the  size  of  the  room  in  which  he  plays,  and  particularly  in  his 
performance  of  the  trill.  He  says :  "  In  playing  a  solo,  one  must  consider 
the  place  where  it  is  played.  In  a  small  room,  a  rapid  trill  will  have  the 
best  effect;  in  a  large  hall,  on  the  contrary,  where  there  is  an  echo,  or  if 
the  hearers  are  somewhat  remote,  a  slower  trill  will  be  better." 

Since  the  tones  are  only  brought  into  relationship  with  each  other  by 
correct  tuning,  it  is  evident  that  the  instrument  should  be  in  as  perfect 
tune  as  possible,  in  order  to  secure  all  the  advantage  from  this  relationship. 

In  this  connection  it  must  be  noted  that  there  are  two  systems  of 
tuning  recognized  by  science.  The  piano  is  tuned  after  what  is  known  as 
equal  temperament,  so  called  in  contradistinction  to  natural  temperament, 
the  difference  between  them  being  that  in  the  latter  the  relations  of  the 
tones  to  each  other  are  true  in  only  one  key,  but  in  that  key  they  are 
absolutely  true,  while  in  the  former  the  intervals  are  equally  true  in  all 
keys,  but  in  no  key  are  they  as  true  as  in  the  one  key  of  the  natural  scale. 

At  present  the  piano  is  tuned  only  in  equal  temperament,  which  was 
first  introduced  in  the  time  of  Bach,  who,  it  is  well  known,  wrote  his 
forty-eight  preludes  and  fugues,  two  of  each  in  every  key,  for  the  "well- 
tempered  clavichord,"  thereby  showing  his  intention  that  they  should  be 
played  upon  an  instrument  admitting  an  equal  use  of  all  the  keys.  It  is 
possible  that  this  lack  of  tempered  instruments  impelled  both  Bach  and 
Handel  to  write  the  numerous  consecutive  numbers  of  their  suites  in  the 
sam<*  key. 


76  THE  PEDALS  OF   THE  PIANO-FORTE. 

The  system  of  equal  temperament  is  certainly  less  true  than  that  of 
natural  temperament,  but  that  it  is  so  faulty  as  some  scientists  would 
have  us  believe  is  by  no  means  proved.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  differ- 
ence is  not  so  great  as  to  prevent  the  relationship  of  strings  tuned  after 
the  tempered  scale,  as  is  shown  in  the  sympathetic  sounding  of  the  over- 
tones when  one  of  two  related  strings  is  set  into  vibration.  In  an 
orchestra,  where  possibly  the  violins  are  heard  in  C,  while  at  the  same 
time  the  B  flat  clarinets  play  in  D  and  the  F  horns  in  G,  the  natural 
temperament  would  be  of  no  value,  especially  as  no  Mind  instrument  is 
in  itself  entirely  true,  and  even  the  most  reliable  vary  in  pitch  through 
changes  of  temperature. 

The  most  frequent  fault  found  with  the  system  of  equal  temperament 
is  that  it  renders  music  characterless,  since  through  its  use  all  enharmonic 
intervals  sound  alike.  This  reproach  is,  however,  unfounded.  Even  on 
the  piano,  where  the  tones  remain  wholly  unchanged,  enharmonic  inter- 
vals make  an  entirely  different  effect,  because  they  appear  in  different 
surroundings ;  e.  g.  : — 


Andante.    .. 


The  diminished  third  (2)  sounds  worse  than  the  major  second  (7), 
and  the  augmented  sixth  ( I )  worse  than  the  minor  seventh  (9).  The 
impression  produced  by  any  interval  is  dependent  on  the  interval  which 
precedes  it.  The  purest  consonance  can  offend  the  ear  if  it  appear 
in  the  wrong  place,  and  this  is  easily  explained:  Every  interval  inter- 
sects the  air  by  invisible  lines.*  When  a  new  interval  is  heard  the  air 
is  again  divided  into  lines  which  correspond  to  the  new  interval.  If 
the  lines  of  the  second  interval  show  a  likeness  to  those  of  the  first  in- 
terval, they  harmonize  and  no  disturbance  results;  if  there  be  but  little 
correspondence  or  none  at  all,  a  conflict  ensues  which  strikes  the  ear  un- 
pleasantly. If  the  interval  last  sufficient  time,  this  momentary  struggle 
comes  to  an  end,  the  air  adjusts  itself  to  the  new  conditions,  and  only  then 

*This  is  illustrated  and  rendered  visible  by  the  well  known  experiment  of 
Chladni,  in  which  sand  strewn  upon  glass  plates  is  made  to  assume  distinct  figures, 
when  the  glass  is  thrown  into  vibration  by  means  of  a  violin  bow 


THE   PEDALS   OF  THE  PIANO-FORTE.  ?• 

does  every  interval  sound  like  its  enharmonic  interval,  so  that  it  can  r* 
solve  in  either  way  ;  e.  g. : — 


Adagio. 


=I=F 


jd3=^=3z=g= :— fe? 


tz£s.- 


:giEEijElJE 


-xp- 


This  is  the  reason  that  composers  instinctively  prolong  the  interval 
by  which  they  wish  to  make  an  enharmonic  change;  they  hold  back  its 
resolution  until  the  ear  has  forgotten  the  impression  made  by  its  entrance. 

In  practice  a  distinction  is  felt  between  enharmonic  tones,  though 
not  in  the  manner  as  established  by  acoustics  A  musician  feels  the 
difference  between  dissonances  which  resolve  upward  and  those  which 
resolve  downward  and  instinctively  anticipates  the  resolution  up  or  down, 
as  the  case  may  he.  In  this  way  distinctions  occur  which  even  contra- 
dict the  laws  of  acoustics :  E  sharp,  for  instance,  should  be  lower  than 
F,  but  in  the  following  example,  by  the  instinctive  rising  toward  its 
resolution,  it  is  in  reality  played  higher  • — 


:* — r-^3 — r=l=i= 

m 1 9 Lfe^- 


--$*- 


Since  Helmholtz  acknowledges  that  Joachim  plays  the  violin  in 
equal  temperament  and  Bach  declares  that  he  considers  the  tone  of  an 
instrument  tuned  after  the  tempered  scale  to  be  the  finest,  it  would  appear 
that  the  ear  can  adapt  itself  to  equal  temperament  to  such  an  extent  that 
what  is  absolutely  correct  seems  less  correct  than  that  which  is  faulty. 

The  subtleties  of  the  natural  scale  seem  to  V»e  of  little  avail  for  prac- 
tical use,  and  at  present  the  tempered  scale  is  almost  universally  regarded 
as  the  compromise  needed  to  meet  all  the  exigencies  of  the  different  keys 

It  often  happens  in  piano  transcriptions  of  organ  compositions,  as 
well  as  in  original  compositions  for  the  piano,  that  a  low  tone  must  be  sus- 
tained as  a  pedal  point,  while  changing  harmonies  are  played  by  the 
iame  hand  above;   e.g.: — 


78 


THE   PEDALS  OF  THE   PIANO-FORTE. 


R.  H. 


Ii.  H.' 


Allegro.     8va. 


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If  the  pedal  be  used  in  the  ordinary  manner,  as  at  A,  the  passage 
becomes  confused;  if  it  be  released,  as  at  B,  the  tone  is  not  sustained  to  its 
full  value.  The  only  way  to  secure  a  clear  performance  of  the  varying 
harmonies  and  at  the  same  time  to  sustain  the  long  tone,  is  as  follows  : 
At  the  beginning  of  the  long  tone,  place  the  foot  firmly  upon  the  pedal ; 
if  it  be  desired  to  use  the  pedal  a  second  time  without  breaking  the 
sustained  tone,  raise  the  foot  slightly,  and  then  bring  it  down  again 
as  quickly  as  possible.  This  extremely  brief  touch  of  the  dampers 
exercises  a  different  effect  on  the  different  strings:  The  high  strings 
possess  less  vibratory  power  than  the  low  strings,  so  that  this  action  of 
the  pedal  is  enough  to  stop  their  vibration;  it  is  too  brief,  however,  to 
produce  the  same  effect  on  the  latter,  which,  while  the  higher  strings  are 
damped,  still  continue  to  sound.  This  can  be  practically  tested  by  play- 
ing the  first  and  third  lines  of  the  preceding  example,  each  with  the 
pedaling  as  shown  at  C,  where  this  use  of  the  pedal  is  indicated  as 
follows : — 


THE   PEDALS  OF  THE  PIANO-FORTE. 


79 


The  oftener  the  foot  is  lowered  and  raised,  the  more  freely  will  the 
strings  sound — it  almost  seems  as  though  the  stroke  of  the  dampers  acted 
favorably  in  prolonging  their  vibrations.  If,  for  instance,  in  the  last  three 
measures  of  the  Nocturne  in  A  major  by  Field  the  pedal  be  used  with 
every  eighth  note,  the  low  A  of  the  first  measure  sounds  fuller  in  the 
end  than  if  it  had  been  used  with  every  quarter  note. 

It  is  not  necessary  that  the  tones  over  the  bass  should  be  very  high  ; 
even  tones  lying  rather  low  can  be  silenced  while  the  bass  is  sustained. 
The  finest  example  of  this  is  the  following  passage  from  Mozart's  Fan- 
tasie  in  C  minor  : — 


I 


P 


etc. 


E-r 


1 


'  r 


jj 


The  advantage  of  this  use  of  the  pedal  is  greater  than  might  at  first 
be  imagined.  It  can  be  employed  in  nearly  all  cases  in  which  the  pedal 
point  occurs  in  the  bass,  where  the  great  majority  of  pedal  points  are 
found.  As  examples  can  be  given :  Brahms,  Variations  No.  9,  Op.  1M ; 
Field,  close  of  the  Nocturne  in  A  major,  No.  4;  Mendelssohn,  Rondo 
Capriecioso,  at  the  beginning  of  the  Presto;  Beethoven,  Sonata  in  C 
major,  Op.  53,  particularly  in  the  beginning  of  the  last  Tempo. 

Rubinstein  employs  it  with  long  tones  of  medium  pitch  in  order  to 
renew  (aufzufrischen  )  the  tone  and  also  to  cause  it  to  vibrate.  The  first 
effect  he  gains  by  using  the  pedal  as  indicated  at  (a)  in  the  following 
example.  It  resembles  the  effect  produced  by  a  singer  changing  his 
register  or  the  violinist  his  string  during  a  sustained  tone. 

In  the  vibrato  the  foot  must  press  the  pedal  lightly  only  part  way 
down.  The  strings  are  alternately  checked  and  freed,  and  this  results  in 
the  continual  appearance  and  disappearance  of  sympathetic  tones,  and 
this  is  also  helped  by  the  friction  of  the  woollen  threads  of  the  damper 


80 


THE  PEDALS  OF  THE  PIANO-FORTE. 


on  the  strings,  which  tends  to  keep  up  their  vibration.  In  passages  of  ex« 
eitement  which  suddenly  concentrate  on  one  tone  it  is  possible  by  this 
manner  of  pedaling  to  give  it  an  unexpected  warmth  of  feeling  and  sen- 
timent, resembling  the  vibrato  in  the  voice : — 


(«) 


Lento. 


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II 


In  this  use  of  the  pedal,  low  tones  are  more  easily  sustained  than 
high  tones,  but  it  can  be  applied  even  to  the  latter.  The  higher,  however, 
the  sustained  tone  lies  the  more  strongly  must  it  be  struck,  and  the  more 
lightly  must  the  others  be  played.  It  can  even  be  reversed,  so  that  the 
long  tone  lies  above  the  accompanying  tones;  indeed  a  high  tone  can 
be  sustained  while  a  descending  scale  is  being  played  provided  the  scale 
be  played  decrescendo  and  the  foot  trill  the  pedal.  In  such  a  case,  care 
must  be  taken  to  sit  a  little  farther  than  usual  from  the  instrument,  since 
the  trill  is  more  easily  executed  when  the  foot  is  somewhat  extended. 

A  singularly  romantic  but  appropriate  effect  can  be  produced  by 
such  a  performance  of  the  conclusion  of  Beethoven's  Sonata  in  C  sharp 

minor : — 

Presto. 

R.  H.  R.H.    s  ^^^ 


-O.- 


L.  H. 


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o 


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THE   PEDALS  O*    THE   PIAXO-FORTE. 


81 


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Adagio. 


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In  the  second  and  third  measures  the  trill  is  played  with  both  hands 
in  order  to  attain  the  greatest  possible  strength;  in  the  fourth  measure 
the  right  hand  plays  alone  decrescendo  and  ritardando,  while  the  foot 
trills  the  pedal.  With  a  faultless  technical  execution,  the  trill  sounds 
from  the  beginning  of  the  fourth  measure  until  the  end  of  the  pedal  trill, 
gradually  diminishing  from  its  original  fortissimo,  until  at  last  the  bass 
tones  alone  are  heard,  empty  and  desolate,  seeming,  like  Schubert's  Wan- 
derer, to  call  to  us  from  the  depth:  "There  where  thou  art  not,  there 
is  joy." 

Since  in  this  use  of  the  pedal  the  vibration  of  the  strings  is  not 
entirely  checked,  it  should  never  be  used  where  the  tones  are  to  be  com- 
pletely silenced.  Its  improper  employment,  as,  for  example,  in  the  case 
of  changing  harmonies  in  the  bass,  is,  together  with  the  common  neglect 
to  take  the  pedal  after  the  tone  or  chord,  the  most  frequent  cause  of  faulty 
pedaling.  The  greatest  evil  of  such  a  fault  is  that  the  pupil,  and,  it  may 
be  added,  too  often  the  teacher,  does  not  discover  the  origin  of  the 
confusion.  Both  often  give  great  attention  to  using  the  pedal  at  the 
proper  place,  but  not  enough  to  the  manner  in  which  it  is  used.  If  the 
stroke  of  the  pedal  is  to  be  short,  the  pedal  notes  should  be  provided 

with  staccato  signs;  e.g.: —  ^  P  P .  Possibly  this  manner  of  per- 
formance is  intended  by  the  direction,  Pedale  grande,  at  the  beginning 
of  the  Finale  in  Schumann's  Carnival  Scenes  (March  against  the  Philis- 
tines ). 

Here  it  seems  appropriate  to  mention  several  changes  in  the  construc- 
tion of  the  damper  pedal  which  have  in  view  its  increased  utility  in 
artistic  playing. 

Great  hopes  were  at  one  time  entertained  of  the  Kunstpedal  fart-pedal) 
invented  by  Zacharia,  but  these  were  disappointed  through  its  compli- 
cated action  and  want  of  simplicity.  In  this  pedal  the  damper-frame  is 
divided  into  eight  portions;  each  one  of  which  is  acted  upon  by  different 


82  THE   PEDALS   OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE. 

movements  of  four  pedals,  which  can  be  either  used  singly  or  coupled  in 
such  a  way  that  all  the  dampers  can  be  removed  from  the  strings  by  one 
stroke,  as  in  the  case  with  the  ordinary  pedal.  Its  advantage  consists  in 
enabling  the  player  to  sustain  single  tones  or  even  chords  in  one  part' of 
the  piano,  while  at  the  same  time  staccato  tones  can  be  played  else- 
where. It  is  most  effective  when  used  to  sustain  high  tones  against  lower 
staccato  tones;  the  reverse  is  not  so  successful,  because  such  tones  as 
happen  to  be  overtones  of  the  sustained  low  tone  are  also  prolonged. 

In  its  use  care  must  be  taken  to  consider  the  limits  of  each  of  the 
eight  divisions  into  which  the  dampers  are  divided,  and  this  exercised  an 
unfavorable  influence  against  it  in  the  eyes  of  pianists  and  composers  who 
were  accustomed  to  an  uncontrolled  sway  over  the  entire  keyboard.  It 
may  even  be  claimed  that  the  piano  has  attained  its  present  high  position 
mainly  because  the  composer  is  untrammeled  as  regards  compass. 
Through  this  freedom  it  has  opened  a  way  for  all  other  compositions, 
those  passages,  for  instance,  which  range  throughout  the  entire  orchestra  ; 
e.g.,  the  motive  of  the  overture  to  Genoveva,  by  Schumann,  the  accom- 
paniment to  the  great  aria  from  Oberon,  by  Weber,  "Ocean,  thou  mighty 
monster,"  have  their  origin  in  this  manner  of  writing  for  the  piano. 

Possibly  a  greater  familiarity  with  the  Kunstpedal  might  have  proved 
its  limitations  less  irksome  than  they  at  first  sight  appeared,  but  all 
teachers  united  in  agreeing  that  its  management  was  too  complicated. 
Since  in  the  use  of  the  ordinary  pedal  mechanical  difficulties  are  met  at 
every  step,  still  greater  must  be  those  attending  the  use  of  the  Kunstpedal, 
with  its  four  divisions  and  various  movements — hence  its  disappearance 
as  a  factor  in  the  development  of  piano  playing. 

The  labor  of  the  inventor  was,  however,  not  entirely  in  vain.  His  is 
the  merit  of  having  drawn  the  attention  of  piano  manufacturers  to  the 
important  question  of  the  pedal,  and  it  is  to  this  impulse  that  we  owe  the 
sostenuto  pedal,  first  invented  by  Steinway  of  New  York,  and  after  him, 
by  Ehrbar  of  Vienna,  of  which  the  latter  seems  to  be  the  more  successful. 
The  effect  of  this  pedal  is  to  prolong  tones  which  are  played  during  its 
use  after  it  is  released,  thus  giving  the  player  the  power  of  playing 
staccato,  while  at  the  same  time  other  tones  previously  played  with  the 
pedal  are  sustained. 

It  was  designed  to  give  an  explicit  and  detailed  account  of  these 
various  devices  for  the  prolongation  of  especial  tones,  but  space  failing, 
they  can  only  receive  mention  in  this  connection.  Should  it  he  desired, 
a  more  thorough  review  of  them  will  be  published  at  some  future  time 


THE  PEDALS  OF  THE  PIANO-FORTE.  83 

The  last  effect  of  the  pedal  to  be  considered  is  its  effect  upon  the 
action  of  the  keys. 

When  a  stronger  tone  results  from  the  use  of  the  pedal,  it  is  not  the 
case  merely  because  numerous  related  strings  vibrate  in  sympathy  with 
the  string  originally  struck,  but  also  because  the  string  in  reality  receives 
a  stronger  blow.  The  effect  of  the  pedal  is  to  lift  the  dampers  from  the 
strings,  and  this  produces  a  lighter  action  of  the  keys,  since  the  resistance 
of  the  dampers  is  removed.  With  the  pedal,  therefore,  the  strength  of 
touch  is  increased  by  just  so  much  strength  of  finger  as  is  necessary  to 
lift  the  dampers,  so  that  it  is  no  imagination  that  the  keys  move  more 
easily  and  the  strings  vibrate  more  fully  when  the  pedal  is  used. 

Many  manufacturers,  in  order  to  secure  an  easy  action,  make  the 
dampers  too  light,  and  the  consequence  is  a  continual  confusion  of  tones, 
resulting  from  strings  insufficiently  silenced. 

The  mechanism  of  the  dampers  is,  unfortunately,  not  equally  good 
in  all  makes  of  pianos.  The  best  is  that  in  which  they  are  attached  to  a 
heavy  frame  which  falls  by  its  own  weight  upon  the  strings.  Less  effi- 
cient is  it  in  those  pianos  in  which  this  frame  is  wanting,  and  many  pedal 
effects  will  be  less  successful  on  such  instruments  than  on  those  possess- 
ing it.  The  poorest  arrangement  of  all,  however,  is  that  in  the  upright 
piano  of  the  old  style.  In  this  the  dampers  are  pressed  sideways  against 
the  strings  by  means  of  a  spring,  which  by  coutinued  use,  loses  its 
elasticity,  thus  failing  to  press  the  dampers  closely  to  the  strings.  When 
this  is  the  case,  since  the  dampers  move  horizontally  to  the  strings  instead 
of  vertically,  they  do  not  fall  upon  them  by  their  own  weight,  so  that  a 
complete  cessation  of  the  vibration  is  not  effected.  This  is  the  cause  of 
the  extremely  imperfect  action  of  the  pedal  in  almost  all  old  upright 
pianos. 

When,  however,  an  instrument  has  a  faulty  action  of  the  pedal,  it 
becomes  unsuitable  for  the  player,  and  is  particularly  injurious  to  the 
student.  Not  only  does  the  ear  become  vitiated  by  continual  dissonances, 
but  the  technic  suffers,  since  there  is  no  guide  for  the  correct  performance 
of  the  legato,  staccato  and  legato  having  the  same  effect  when  the  strings 
are  insufficiently  damped.  The  scant  favor  which  upright  pianos  receive 
from  teachers  as  instruments  for  practice  can  therefore  be  ascribed  not 
alone  to  its  weak  bass,  but  also  to  its  imperfect  damper  action. 

It  must  be  said,  however,  that  modern  manufacturers  of  upright 
pianos  have  largely  remedied  this  defect,  in  that  the  damper  frames  are 
now  so  constructed  that  each  damper  has  its  individual  spring. 


84 


THE  PEDALS  OF  THE  PIANO-FORTE. 


The  action  responds  more  readily  if  the  pedal  be  used  before  the  key 
is  struck.  This  can  be  done  with  good  effect  when  a  pianissimo  chord  is 
played  after  a  pause.  The  final  chords  of  the  Adagio  from  Beethoven's 
Sonata  in  F  minor,  Op.  2,  can  he  given  with  much  more  delicacy  by 
using  the  pedaling  (6),  instead  of  («)  : — 

Adagio,     pp 


/•> 


$■  -&— £— £-*• =1 — 1 — * 


Thus  far,  in  speaking  of  the  pedal,  only  the  damper,  or  so-called  loud 
pedal  has  been  understood.  The  second  pedal  to  the  left  of  the  damper 
pedal,  commonly  known  as  the  soft  pedal  ( Verschiebung),  remains  yet  to 
be  considered.  In  grand  pianos  its  effect  is  to  cause  a  slight  movement 
of  the  keyboard  to  the  right,  in  consequence  of  which  the  hammer  strikes 
one  string,  or  sometimes  two,  instead  of  three,  thus,  with  the  same  strength 
of  touch,  producing  a  softer  tone.  It  is  to  be  used  when  the  player  wishes 
a  softer  tone  than  his  fingers  alone  are  able  to  produce.  The  character  of 
the  tone  is  also  somewhat  altered,  since  the  string  which  is  not  struck, 
being  of  the  same  pitch  as  the  others,  vibrates  slightly  in  sympathy,  lending 
the  tone  something  of  an  harmonic  character.  Stavenhagen,  the  virtuoso, 
avails  himself  frequently  of  this  means  of  expression,  and  by  it  produces 
charming  effects  in  compositions  of  an  elegiac  character,  e.g.,  the  Prelude 
in  D  flat  major  by  Chopin.    Employed  too  frequently  the  effect  is  cloying. 

The  use  of  this  pedal  is  generally  indicated  by  una  corda  (one  string) ; 
sometimes  by  due  corda  (two  strings) ;  its  discontinuance  by  tre  corde 
(three  strings).  During  its  use  care  must  be  taken  not  to  play  forte, 
since  the  single  string  cannot  bear  as  strong  a  blow  as  the  three. 

Still  another  mechanism  of  the  soft  pedal  draws  the  hammers  closer 
to  the  strings  so  that  the  latter  cannot  be  struck  with  so  much  force,  thus 
producing  a  softer  tone.  By  this  construction  of  the  pedal  the  harmonic 
timbre  of  the  tone  is  lacking,  but  its  mechanism  is  more  >re^ise  than 
that  of  the  older  appliance  by  which  it  not  unfrequently  happens  that  the 


THE  PEDALS  OF  THE  PIANO-FORTE.  85 

Keyboard  is  carried  too  for,  so  that  two  tones  instead  of  one  are  heard, 
since  the  hammer  strike  the  strings  of  the  next  tone  as  well  as  its  own. 

A  still  softer  effect  is  produced  by  a  third  pedal,  the  old  pianissimo  or 
flute  pedal,  which  has  recently  been  revived  by  the  piano  manufacturer. 
Ludwig  Bosendorfer.  This  is  placed  in  the  middle  between  the  two 
other  pedals. 

Its  effect  is  to  shove  a  strip  of  flannel  attached  to  a  frame  between 
the  strings  and  the  hammers,  so  that  the  latter  strike  the  strings  through 
the  flannel,  which  greatly  diminishes  the  strength  of  the  tone,  the  string 
being  damped  at  the  moment  of  percussion.  This  pedal  is  found  in 
very  old  pianos;  Adam,  in  his  School  for  the  Piano,  designates  it  Pedole 
celeste.  In  these  old,  lightly  strung  instruments,  however,  this  kind  of 
damping  acted  so  powerfully  that  the  quality  of  tone  was  immediately 
changed,  which  is  probably  the  reason  that  artists  of  that  time  seldom 
used  it  and  that  it  was  finally  omitted,  especially  as  the  altered  construc- 
tion of  the  instrument  arising  from  the  introduction  of  iron  frames 
rendered  it  difficult  of  application. 

To  Herr  Bosendorfer  belongs  the  merit  of  having  practically  applied 
the  pianissimo  pedal  to  the  modern  piano  in  spite  of  mechanical  ob- 
stacles, and  in  such  a  way  as  to  entirely  obviate  the  former  change  in  the 
quality  of  the  tone.  It  has  been  repeatedly  used  in  concerts  with  such 
success  that  no  uninitiated  hearer  suspected  the  employment  of  any  es- 
pecial contrivance;  the  character  of  the  tone  was  so  little  altered  that  one 
and  all  ascribed  the  extreme  pianissimo  effect  to  the  skill  of  the  player. 

In  case  its  use  is  desired  for  any  length  of  time,  it  lias  been  so 
arranged  that  by  a  side  movement  of  the  foot  it  can  be  brought  into 
position  and  suspended,  thus  requiring  no  outside  pressure  of  the  foot 
to  prolong  the  effect.  This  \z  of  particular  advantage  for  students,  since 
by  its  aid  all  monotonous  but  necessary  exercises,  such  as  sca'es,  choid 
passages,  five-finger  exercises,  etc.,  can  lie  practiced  fortissimo,  with  but 
comparatively  little  annoyance  to  the  student's  sense  of  hearing  or  that 
of  his  neighbors'. 

This  pedal  can  be  used  frequently  in  compositions  which  require  the 
utmost  delicacy,  as,  for  example,  the  Berceuse  and  Barcarolle  by  Chopin, 
and  the  first  movement  of  the  Sonata  in  C  sharp  minor  by  Beethoven. 

Besides  the  damper  pedal,  the  old  pianos  frequently  possessed  others ;  e. 
g.,  one  which  imitated  the  bassoon;  another,  the  great  drum,— which  was 
effected  by  a  blow  on  the  sounding  board;  a  bell  pedal;  one  to  imitate 
cymbals  and  other  such  infantile  contrivances,  now  happily  obsolete. 


86  THE  PEDALS  OF  THE  PIANO-FORTE. 

CHAPTER    IV. 

The  question  as  to  when  the  pedal  should  he  used  would  be  a  verj 
easy  one  to  answer  if  we  were  to  say,  with  the  old  Schools  for  the  Piano : 
"The  pedal  is  always  to  he  used  when  indicated,  and  never  where  the 
proper  signs  are  wanting." 

This  rule,  for  several  reasons,  is  by  no  means  satisfactory :  first, 
because  some  composers,  taking  it  for  granted  that  those  who  play  their 
compositions  possess  sufficient  intelligence  to  manage  the  pedal  properly, 
fail  to  give  directions  for  its  use;  secondly,  because  even  the  best  com- 
posers do  not  set  down  the  signs  with  sufficient  care;  and  thirdly,  because 
the  signs  themselves  are  not  adapted  to  indicate  with  exactness  a  precise 
use  of  the  pedal. 

Where  no  signs  at  all  are  given  the  student  is  indeed  without  a 
guide,  but  their  total  lack  is  not  so  dangerous  as  erroneous  directions, 
since  where  they  are  wanting  the  player  is  obliged  to  reflect  and  supply 
their  place  by  his  own  ingenuity,  but  their  presence  implies  the  necessity 
of  observing  them.  It  requires  a  great  deal  of  independence  to  act  will- 
fully against  the  composer's-  express  directions.  Schumann's  practice  of 
placing  "Pedal"  at  the  beginning  of  many  of  his  compositions  as  a 
direction  that  it  he  used  at  the  player's  discretion  is  much  safer  than  that 
of  many  composers,  who  fill  their  compositions  with  numerous  but  faulty 
signs  for  its  use.  It  is  not  difficult  to  discover  the  cause  of  this  imperfect 
notation  of  the  pedal.  The  writing  down  of  the  signs  for  its  use,  as  well 
as  those  for  style  and  expression,  is  the  last  task  of  the  composer.  When, 
however,  this  stage  of  his  labor  is  reached,  the  composition  has  generally 
become  burdensome  to  him,  so  that  frequently  in  haste  to  finish  his 
task,  the  most  delicate  part  of  his  work,  the  signs  for  the  pedal  and  fol 
expression,  are  written  down  with  lamentable  inaccuracy.  Too  often  the 
care  bestowed  upon  beauty  of  melody  and  correctness  of  harmony  is 
rendered  of  no  avail  by  the  false  pedaling  of  the  author  himself.  Another 
common  fault  is  to  write  down  these  signs  at  the  desk,  possibly  without 
having  tested  them  at  the  instrument.  If  the  pedal  is  to  be  noted  exactly 
as  the  author  wishes,  he  should  first  play  his  composition  in  the  proper 
tempo,  marking  in  pencil  from  measure  to  measure  his  own  use  of  the 
pedal.  Then  it  should  he  played  again,  this  time  without  interruption, 
to  verify  the  correctness  of  the  si<rns,  after  which  they  may  be  written 
down  in  ink.  Both  times  the  proper  movement  must  be  observed,  since 
the  pedal  can  be  used  much  more  frequently  in  slow  tempo  than  in  quick 


THE  PEDALS  OF   THE   PIANO-FORTE.  87 

tempo.     If  the  composition  be  played  too  slowly  the  pedal  will  be  noted 
too  often — if  too  fast,  not  often  enougb. 

A  still  better  reason  for  the  unreliability  of  tbe  ordinary  pedal  signs 
is  that  they  are  not  adapted  to  denote  its  use  with  exactness.  Their 
forms  are  such  that  they  cannot  designate  with  the  requisite  minuteness 
the  portion  of  tbe  measure  where  the  pedal  is  required.  The  composer, 
conscious  of  this  defect,  gives  himself  none  too  much  trouble  as  to  where 
he  places  them;  generally  under  the  bass,  but  sometimes  between  the 
staves;  sometimes  merely  near  the  notes  instead  of  directly  under  them, 
just  as  he  has  room.  The  manuscript  next  falls  into  the  hands  of  the 
engraver,  who  follows  the  example  given  by  the  composer  and  also  places 
the  signs  where  the  space  allows,  so  that  when  the  composition  finally 
reaches  the  player  it  is  not  astonishing  that  he,  seeing  a  lack  of  order  in 
the  whole  arrangement,  feels  at  liberty  to  work  out  his  own  ideas  instead 
of  those  of  the  composer.  Thus  it  happens  that  the  divergency  between 
signs  and  their  observance  is  even  greater  than  when  the  manuscript  first 
leaves  the  composer's  bauds.  This  want  of  exactness  is  also  increased 
by  the  fact  that  the  signs,  Ped.  and  :{; ,  occupy  too  much  space  to  be  used 
as  frequently  as  a  proper  pedaling  often  requires.  The  old  designations, 
senza  sordini,  without  dampers,  and  con  sordini,  with  dampers,  were 
even  worse.  Generally  speaking,  the  pedal  is  only  indicated  where  the 
chord  changes;  it  is  very  seldom  found  marked  for  successive  tones 
which  belong  to  the  same  chord.  Tims,  for  example,  in  no  edition  of 
Field's  Nocturne  in  A  major  do  we  find  that  the  pedal  should  be  used 
again  on  the  second  and  fourth  quarters  of  the  first  measure,  but  in  all 
editions  it  is  marked  as  at  a,  instead  of  being  marked  as  at  b : — 

(a)     Ped.  #     Ped.  #     Ped.  * 

«£= 1== ==£=f^=F=±=      =1= 


^=B=£=^^=p 


-*- 


( 6 )     Ped.  *     Ped.  *         Ped.  *     ^^        Ped.  *     Ped.  * 

Ped.    * 

In  Mendelssohn's  Songs  Without  Words  a  fresh  use  of  the  pedal  is 
very  rarely  enjoined  in  the  case  of  successive  notes  of  the  melody  be- 
longing to  the  same  chord,  and  the  case  is  the  same  in  other  similar 
compositions.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  composers,  in  writing  down  the 
sijrns  for  the  pedal,  should  have  adopted  as  a  rule  bearing  upon  all  casts 
tbe  principle  that  an  unbroken  use  of  the  pedal  is  allowable  as  long  as 
the  tones  belong  to  the  same  chord;  we  find  Ped.  where  the  chord  begins 
and  %  where  it  ends,  without  any  apparent  regard  as  to  whether  the 


88  THE  PEDALS  OF  THE  PIANO-FORTE. 

melody  suffers  or  not  under  this  want  of  discrimination.  This  incon 
siderate  rule  has  been  the  cause  of  much  confused  piano  playing.  The 
most  satisfactory  manner  of  performing  a  melody  is  to  give  it  the  effect  of 
being  finely  sung.  If,  however,  the  pedal  be  sustained  during  several 
successive  notes  of  a  melody  they  will  sound  together,  which  necessarily 
destroys  the  singing  effect,  since  no  singer  possesses  the  power  of  singing 
several  tones  at  one  time.  If  the  melody  is  to  be  sung  by  the  instrument, 
the  pedal  must  be  used  for  each  note  the  value  of  which  is  great  enough 
to  admit  of  being  sustained  while  the  foot  is  lowered  and  raised;  in  case 
of  short  notes,  it  can,  after  due  consideration,  either  be  omitted  or  re- 
tained, since  the  fault  is  not  so  perceptible  in  short  tones. 

An  almost  countless  number  of  examples  could  be  given  to  show  how 
careless  composers  have  been  in  allowing  the  singing  effect  of  their  melo- 
dies to  be  spoiled  by  a  want  of  thought  in  noting  the  pedal,  and  even 
those  of  the  highest  rank  are  by  no  means  free  from  this  reproach.  If  this 
unbroken  use  of  the  pedal  were  applied  only  to  tones  of  the  same  chord 
it  would  at  least  be  bearable,  since}  at  all  events,  they  accord  one  with 
another.  Far  otherwise  is  it  when  melodies  moving  by  regular  degrees 
of  the  scale  are  thu3  played.  For  an  example,  the  following  passage 
from  Mozart's  Fantasia  in  C  minor  is  taken  from  an  edition  of  Mozart's 
Sonatas  revised  by  Moscheles : — 


Adazio 


Ped. 


fea3 


mm^m 


3B 


.0-0. 


It  must  be  acknowledged  that  such  a  use  of  the  pedal  is  far  less 
allowable  than  the  one  in  the  third  chapter,  in  the  case  of  Beethoven's 
Sonata  in  D  minor,  and  there  given  as  an  extreme  example,  only  to  be 
used  under  exceptionally  favorable  conditions.  The  rapid  tempo,  in  con- 
nection with  the  fortissimo  touch  of  a  virtuoso,  alone  renders  possible 
such  a  sustained  use  of  the  pedal,  and  only  the  highest  excitement  can 
justify  the  mingling  of  tones  which  thereby  results.      Here,   however, 


THE  PEDALS  OF  THE  PIANO-FORTE.  89 

Moscheles,  in  an  edition  expressly  prepared  for  purposes  of  instruction, 
recommends  the  same  use  of  the  pedal  in  a  passage  especially  character- 
ized by  quiet.and  repose. 

The  many  sins  in  this  respect  which  occur  in  this  edition  may  be 
the  more  readily  pardoned  when  it  is  considered  that  Moscheles'  own 
compositions  have  received  no  better  treatment  at  his  hands.  It  may, 
however,  be  confidently  asserted  that  so  finished  an  artist  as  Moscheles 
never  used  the  pedal  as  he  himself  has  noted  it.  Not  only  he,  but  nearly 
all  composers,  have  erred  in  like  manner.  No  less  an  authority  than 
Rubinstein  declares  most  of  the  pedal  signs  in  Chopin's  works  to  be 
unreliable. 

Even  composers  who  can  hardly  rest  at  night  for  fear  that  their  com- 
positions may  be  criticised  for  want  of  clearness  write  down  with  the 
greatest  complacency  the  most  absurd  pedaling.  If,  in  many  cases,  the 
pedal  be  used  as  they  themselves  have  prescribed,  the  effect  to  the  ear  is 
like  that  to  the  eye  when  a  wet  sponge  is  passed  over  a  pencil  drawing  or 
when  one  writes  with  ink  on  blotting  paper. 

As  a  model  of  bad  pedaling  the  Largo  from  Beethoven's  Sonata  in 
D  major,  Hallberger  Edition,  may  be  quoted,— the  following  passage 
in  particular: — 

Largo. 


Pea.  #    Ped. 


-5-    -5-  -S-    -5-    5-    -5-       •*--#.»*.        H-#-    -#-      "-0- 


ff 


— 


&    r 


• 
i 


The  pedal  should  be  used  thus:— 


90  THE  PEDALS  OP  THE  PIANO-FORTE. 


-J * =1 *-* J| 


The  present  signs  fail  to  show  with  exactness  when  the  pedal  is  not 
to  be  used,  and  also  fail  in  the  contrary  case,  to  indicate  its  prolonged  use. 
In  passages  where  they  are  wanting  the  player  generally  feels  free  to 
make  his  own  use  of  the  pedal,  unless  the  composer  interfere  with  a 
categoric  "senza  pedale."  This,  however,  only  shifts  the  difficulty,  since 
who  is  to  decide  how  long  the  direction  holds  good  in  case  the  author 
fails  to  raise  the  bun  thus  laid  upon  it?  An  unbroken  use  of  the  pedal 
can  be  similarly  indicated  by  the  direction  "sempre  pedale,"  but  here 
again  the  difficulty  is  to  determine  how  long  the  "sempre"  should  be 
observed.  Thus,  for  instance,  there  is  a  continual  dispute  among  pianists 
as  to  whether,  in  the  concluding  measures  of  the  first  movement  of  the 
Fantasie  in  F  sharp  minor  by  Mendelssohn,  the  "sempre  pedale"  should 
hold  good  to  the  end  or  not.  Some  insist  that  the  pedal  should  be 
changed  in  the  second  measure  because  a  new  chord  is  introduced; 
others  contend  that  it  must  be  held  steadily  to  the  end,  maintaining  that 
the  misty  blending  of  tones  thereby  attained  produces  a  characteristic 
effect  peculiarly  appropriate  at  the  end  of  this  ballad-like  composi- 
tion. 

The  following  manner  of  performance  is  suggested  as  a  compromise 
between  these  two  opinions:  After  the  left  hand  has  played  the  a  of 
the  melody,  press  down  silently  the  octave  F  sharp,  F  sharp,  and  then 
release  the  pedal,  still  holding  down  the  octave,  as  follows: — 


THE  PEDALS  OF  THE  FIANO-FORTE. 


91 


Andatite. 

A 


:fe= 


hJ — • 


'83 


1 h^-H- 


-»-•- 


-i — i — t- 


» 


3f 


t— ^ 


v_ 


~NA 


ft*/. 


The  following  passage  from  Beethoven's  Sonata  in  F  minor,  Op.  57, 
near  the  end  of  the  first  movement,  can  be  played  similarly : — 


-,r- 


-<s>-±. 


•h 


92 


THE  PEDALS  OF  THE  PIANO-FORTE. 


Adagio.        s\ 


-1     0  •- 


■\-r 


f— f 


In  this  way  the  pedal  effect  is  preserved  and  yet  a  mingling  of 
unrelated  tones  avoided. 

It  may  be  more  positively  asserted  that  the  "sempre  pedale"  at  the 
conclusion  of  the  sixth  Song  without  Words  is  not  intended  to  be  ob- 
served as  there  indicated;  Mendelssohn  certainly  never  wished  it  to  be 
played  as  he  wrote  it. 

The  method  of  noting  the  pedal  by  means  of  notes  and  rests  upon  a 
separate  line,  used  in  this  work,  was  devised  by  the  author  and  was 
recommended  to  general  acceptance  as  long  ago  as  1S63  in  Zellner's 
Blatter  fur  Musik,  and  later  (1864)  in  Bagge's  Allgemeine  Musikzeitung. 

Experience  has  convinced  him  that  it  is  the  only  reliable  way  to 
express  clearly  the  intention  of  the  composer.  It  has  been  objected  that 
it  renders  the  reading  of  the  notes  more  difficult.  This  objection  would 
be  reasonable  if  the  composer  had  only  to  consider  the  convenience  of 
those  who  cast  aside  a  piece  after  having  once  played  it  through.  Those, 
however,  who  wish  to  really  study  a  work  always  welcome  as  an  aid 
every  exact  indication  of  the  composer's  meaning.  Organists  read  three 
staves  at  once — two  for  the  hands  and  one  for  the  feet;  expert  score 
readers  read  even  twenty  staves  at  one  time  so  that  a  single  additional 
line  should  prove  no  undue  difficulty  to  the  pianist.  Neither  is  it 
necessary  at  first  to  study  the  pedaling ;  only  after  the  fingering  has 
been  mastered  is  a  precise  use  of  the  pedal  desirable,  and  this  precision 
can  only  be  attained  by  means  of  the  new  notation. 

Refinements  such  as  are  noted  by  N.  B.  in  the  two  following  ex- 
amples, can  only  be  indicated  in  that  way: — 


THE   PEDALS  OF  THE  PIANO-FORTE. 


93 


Schmitt,  Op.  15. 


Mendelssohn,  Lied  Nr.  22, 

Adagio. 


P3?E5E£?SF?S 


-E-*- 


ZJ21 


-^s: 


^^^^^^^ 


JN\B. 


*lH — i-r+r^r-— r~— r-H 


-«>- 


2* 


-N- 


:g* 


1 


-s>- 


-L. 


N.B. 


tr 


_#_l. 


-i_. 


HI 


All  the  different  actions  of  the  foot  can  be  clearly  represented,  as 
already  shown,  by  musical  signs;  e.g.,  ,'^TTV.  »  fr\~~~~  ,  i  i  i  I,  etc. 
Its  use,  especially  in  works  of  an  advanced  elementary  and  middle  grade 
would  be  of  great  service  to  the  student,  since  it  does  not  require  him  to 
understand  harmony,  nor  yet  to  possess  the  esthetic  feeling  which  would 
instinctively  impel  him  to  abstain  from  using  the  pedal  where,  otherwise, 
the  laws  of  harmony  would  allow  it.  He  need  only  know  the  correct 
value  of  the  notes — the  rest  is  the  care  of  the  composer. 

When,  however,  the  highest  degree  of  finish  has  been  attained,  an 
arbitrary  use  of  the  pedal  can  lie  as  little  prescribed  as  an  arbitrary 
fingering;  arrived  at  that  stage,  every  artist  orders  his  fingering  as  well 
as  his  pedaling  in  such  a  way  as  to  correspond  to  his  own  individuality. 
Those,  for  instance,  who  possess  a  more  than  ordinary  strength  of 
touch  can  go  to  greater  extremes  than  others  in  sustaining  the  pedal. 
Just  as  habits  of  correct  fingering  are  formed   by  a  long  and  constant 


94  THE   PEDALS  OF  THE   PIANO-FORTE, 

study  of  prescribed  models,  so,  by  a  similar  study  in  playing  from 
examples  provided  witb  a  proper  notation  for  the  pedal,  can  the  habit 
of  using  it  with  freedom  and  correctness  be  formed. 

Even  in  the  most  advanced  stage  it  is  sometimes  desirable  to  pre- 
scribe the  pedal  as  well  as  the  fingering  with  exactness.  Liszt  is  by  no 
means  a  pedant,  yet  he  does  not  hesitate  in  special  cases  to  give  an  exact 
fingering,  thereby  earning  the  gratitude  of  all  who  perform  his  works, 
since  they  find,  almost  without  exception,  that  his  own  fingering  has  a 
characteristic  effect  in  view. 

In  the  highest  grade  of  piano  playing,  therefore,  the  old  signs  for  the 
pedal  might  be  retained,  the  new  notation  being  reserved  for  passages 
where  precision  is  required ;  still  more  serviceable,  however,  would  be  the 
following  characters  : —  | or  |  for  Ped.,  the  horizontal  line  being  ex- 
tended to  the  right  as  far  as  the  pedal  is  desired,  |  or  "       instead  of   :fc 

for  the  release  of  the  pedal,  the  line  being  similarly  extended  to  the  left, 
and   [I    or   |_|   for  short  strokes  of  the  pedal. 

However  simply  and  practically  the  use  of  the  pedal  may  be  taught 
by  means  of  the  new  notation,  it  avails  but  little  at  present,  since  the  old 
method  is  still  universally  employed. 

The  inconvenience  and  inexactness  of  the  old  method  are  so  pro- 
nounced that  the  great  majority  of  teachers  do  not  attempt  to  teach  the 
use  of  the  pedal.  Many,  in  this  connection,  adopt  the  principle  of  poeta 
nascitur,  non  Jit,  like  the  deceased  piano  instructor,  Horzalka,  who  said  : 
"My  plan  with  the  pedal  is  the  same  as  that  for  the  trill :  he  who  makes 
a  good  trill  or  uses  the  pedal  well  must  be  born  to  it,  and  for  that  reason 
I  attempt  to  teach  neither." 

One  thing  is  sure:  that  by  the  present  signs  for  the  pedal,  its  proper 
use  is  no  simple  mechanical  function;  the  player  must  possess  in  an 
equal  degree  with  the  composer  a  full  understanding  of  the  effect  to  be 
produced — indeed,  in  a  certain  sense,  he  must  often  possess  more  intelli- 
gence than  the  composer,  since  he  is  frequently  obliged  to  make  good  at 
the  piano  what  the  former  has  failed  to  do,  or  done  wrongly,  at  his  desk. 

For  this  reason,  the  minuteness  of  the  foregoing  study  will  be  seen  to 
be  no  less  advantageous  to  the  player  than  to  the  composer. 

In  addition,  the  player  must  be  warned  not  to  use  the  pedal  merely 
on  technical  grounds,  i.  e.,  to  make  the  action  lighter  or  to  gain  a  support 
for  the  foot.  Since  the  heel  alone  rests  upon  the  floor  and  the  fore  part 
of  the  foot  is  held  over  the  pedal  in  readiness  to  press  it  down,  the  foot, 


THE  PEDALS  OF  THE   PIANO-FORTE.  95 

particularly  if  it  be  small,  is  apt  in  time  to  become  fatigued,  and  instinct- 
ively seeks  a  support. 

Tliis  is  especially  the  case  in  performing  compositions  which  abound 
in  changes  from  one  end  of  the  piano  to  the  other.  Not  only  the  foot, 
but  the  entire  body  seeks  support,  and  this  is  but  too  often  found  in  the 
pedal.  The  danger  is  greatest  when  the  player  is  nervous  and  the  action 
of  the  instrument  heavy.  A  common  result  of  nervousness  is  to  diminish 
strength,  and  if  in  addition  the  action  of  the  instrument  is  heavy,  the 
trembling  player  still  more  ardently  desires  a  support.  When  his  wearied 
foot  involuntarily  sinks  upon  the  pedal,  he  finds  with  relief  that  besides 
gaining  a  rest  for  the  foot,  the  keys  move  more  easily ;  it  is  but  small 
wonder  that  the  pedal  appears  to  succor  him  in  time  of  need,  or  that  he 
unwillingly  abandons  such  a  welcome  assistance,  especially  as  it  covers 
all  gaps  resulting  from  notes  passed  over  by  sustaining  the  sound  of  those 
which  are  played.  On  this  last  account  the  pedal  is  always  a  welcome 
resource  for  those  whose  fingers  are  not  sufficiently  trained. 

Happily,  there  are  not  many  teachers  like  the  one  who  gave  his  pupils 
the  judicious  counsel  to  use  the  pedal  at  the  beginning  of  every  difficult 
passage,  and  not  to  release  it  until  the  difficulty  had  been  passed. 
Unfortunately,  even  well-trained  pupils  become  confused  when  they  fall 
under  the  power  of  nervousness,  that  evil  spirit  of  the  concert  room. 
When  this  fault  arises  from  such  a  cause  it  is  indeed  a  difficult  one  to 
remedy. 

As  embodying  the  result  of  the  preceding  study  of  the  pedal  and  its 
effects  the  following  concise  rules  are  added,  affording  a  resume1  of  the 
foregoing  chapters  : — 

The  pedal  is  indispensable  in  all  cases  where  the  fingers  must  leave 
the  keys  before  the  prescribed  value  of  the  note  has  been  attained;  e.g. : — 

1.  With  skips  that  must  sound  legato. 

2.  In  a  succession  of  chords  which  are  to  be  joined. 

3.  With  extensions  beyond  the  reach  of  the  hand. 

4.  With  the  notes  of  a  melody  which  cannot  be  sustained  by  the  fin- 
gers, owing  to  the  hand  moving  to  a  distance  in  playing  an  accompaniment. 

5.  In  pedal  points  which  cannot  be  sustained  by  the  fingers. 

6.  In  playing  long  tones  which  are  interrupted  by  accompanying 
tones  of  the  same  pitch. 

7.  When  the  liberty  is  taken  of  shortening  the  touch  : — ( a )  to  gain 
fresh  strength ;   ( b )  to  prepare  the  touch  ;  (  c )  or  to  rest  the  muscles. 


96  THE   PEDALS  OF  THE   PIANO-FORTE. 

The  pedal  is  desirable  as  a  means  of  beautifying  the  tone.  For  thia 
reason  it  must  be  used  as  often  as  the  value  of  the  notes  allows;  e.g. : — 

1.  (a)  With  every  note  long  enough  to  allow  the  dampers  to  rise  and 
fall  during  its  continuance. 

(  6)  With  the  longer  notes  when  the  long  and  short  notes  of  a  melody 
are  mingled. 

(c)  With  very  short  notes  when  they  are  separated  by  sufficiently 
long  pauses. 

2.  As  a  means  of  strengthening  the  touch. 

3.  As  an  aid  in  procuring  a  pp  touch. 

4.  In  producing  echo  effects. 

In  the  first  of  the  following  cases  ot  broken  chords  the  pedal  is 
entirely  allowable ;  in  the  latter  ones  it  is  somewhat  less  so,  but  it  can 
still  be  admitted  :— 

1.  With  arpeggios  in  the  middle  and  upper  part  of  the  keyboard 
when  the  tones  of  the  arpeggio  harmonize. 

2.  With  arpeggios  which  begin  low  in  a  "wide  position"  corres- 
ponding to  the  harmonic  order  of  the  overtones. 

3.  With  arpeggios  which  begin  low  but  which  begin  with  a  minoH 
third,  especially  if  the  movement  be  rapid;  the  best  effect  of  such  arpeg- 
gios is  that  of  the  diminished  seventh. 

4.  With  arpeggios  which  begin  with  a  major  third  or  a  perfect 
fourth,  played  rapidly  and  accompanied  by  strong  harmonic  tones. 

5.  With  all  other  kinds  of  broken  chord  passages  if  the  composition 
admits  of  a  stormy  character. 

In  the  first  of  the  following  cases  of  scale  passages  the  pedal  is  en- 
tirely allowable;  in  the  latter  ones  it  is  less  so,  but  under  certain  condi- 
tions it  is  still  admissible  : — 

1.  With  soft  descending  scales  which  are  preceded  by  a  loud  ascend- 
ing arpeggio. 

2.  With  scales  beginning  high  and  played  crescendo  to  the  middle 
tones  while  a  suitable  harmonic  accompaniment  is  played. 

Its  use  is  more  daring  when  the  scale  lies  low,  but  even  then  it  can 
be  employed  for  a  short  time  if  it  be  played  pp  while  a  harmonic  tone  be 
struck  above — or  if  it  be  begun  pp,  then  rising  molto  crescendo  into  the 
middle  tones,  if  at  the  same  time  it  be  sufficiently  supported  by  harmonic 
tones  above.    Still  more  daring  is  its  use  with  double  scales;  in  these  the 


THE   PEDALS  OF   THE  PIANO-FORTE.  97 

pedal  is  only  admissible  when  the  scales  are  played  presto  in  connection 
with  sustained^' tones.  The  most  daring  use  of  the  pedal,  and  which  is  only 
allowable  for  a  short  time  in  presto  by  a  virtuoso,  is  to  retain  it  during 
Unaccompanied  scales.  In  such  a  case  the  pedal  must  be  released  in  an 
ascending  scale  as  soon  as  the  middle  tones  are  reached ;  in  descending 
it  can  be  retained  throughout.  Minor  scales  played  in  this  way  sound 
rather  better  than  major  scales;  the  chromatic  scale  sounds  worst  of  all. 

Finally,  players  possessing  the  highest  degree  of  execution  can  xise 
the  pedal  momentarily  in  rapid  playing  with  any  tone-figure,  in  order 
to  attain  more  brilliancy  in  major  keys  and  more  passion  in  minor  keys. 

Such  players  can  even  retain  the  pedal  in  playing  rapid  tone-figures 
as  long  as  their  strength  of  finger  is  sufficient  to  make  a  steady  crescendo, 
so  that  each  tone  overpowers  the  one  preceding,  but  this  is  only  allowable 
in  moments  of  the  greatest  excitement,  and  even  then  must  not  be  carried 
too  far. 

In  large  rooms  more  can  generally  be  ventured  upon  than  in  small 
rooms,  taking  it  for  granted  that  the  principal  tones  are  struck  with 
sufficient  force. 

The  construction  of  the  instrument  has  also  an  influence  upon  the 
use  of  the  pedal. 

The  pedal  is  not  allowable  in  the  following  cases: — 

1.  With  tones  which  are  to  have  a  staccato  effect. 

2.  Likewise  after  slurred  notes. 

3.  To  prolong  the  duration  of  notes  separated  by  rests  which  are 
intended  to  receive  their  full  value. 

4.  With  the  slow  notes  of  a  melody  when  they  belong  to  the  same 
chord. 

5.  With  slow  scales  and  ornaments — also,  in  rapid  scales  if  the 
player's  fingers  be  lacking  in  strength. 

6.  In  quick  tempo  in  decrescendo  passages. 

7.  When  the  finest  possible  piano  is  required. 

8.  In  slow  practice,  especially  in  such  passages  where  the  pedal  is 
only  allowable  in  quick  tempo. 

The  pedal  is  of  almost  no  effect  in  passages  confined  to  the  highest 
tones  of  the  piano. 

The  pedal  must  be  used  anew  with  every  change  of  harmony,  save 
that  in  the  highest  tones  alone  it  can  be  retained  during  changing  har- 
monies if  a  music  box  effect  be  desired. 


98  THE   PEDALS  OF   THE  PIANO-FORTE. 

The  pedal  must  be  taken  after  the  tone  in  the  following  cases : — 

1.  With  every  low  tone  which  is  joined  by  the  fingers  to  one  pre- 
ceding in  order  to  avoid  dissonance. 

2.  In  joining  tones  which  the  fingers  are  obliged  to  play  staccato. 

It  is  not  allowable  with  an  extended  chord  which  is  to  be  sustained 
and  cannot  be  held  by  the  fingers. 

The  pedal  must  only  be  partially  released  in  the  following  cases: — 

1.  With  pedal  points  which  the  hand  cannot  sustain. 

2.  When  it  is  desired  to  renew  the  tone. 

3.  When  the  tone  is  to  be  vibrated. 

The  foot  must  trill  the  pedal  when  a  pedal  point  occurs  in  connection 
with  rapid  scales  or  ornaments;  or  when  it  is  desired  to  use  the  pedal 
with  tones  not  harmonically  related. 

The  partial  release  and  the  trilling  of  the  pedal  are  allowable  in  no 
case  where  the  tones  are  to  be  completely  silenced  ;  nor,  generally  speak- 
ing, with  changes  of  harmony  in  the  middle  and  bass  tones. 

The  foregoing  rules  are  particularly  recommended  to  those  preparing 
to  teach.  Such  will  do  well  to  memorize  them,  each  one  in  connection 
with  its  particular  illustration,  so  that  in  teaching  they  may  have  both 
the  rule  and  its  reason  at  hand,  instead  of  an  empirical  direction  to  the 
pupil  to  do  so  and  so  merely  because  the  teacher  wills  it. 

Many  teachers  are  of  the  opinion  that  the  use  of  the  pedal  should 
not  be  allowed  to  young  pupils,  and  since  in  any  case  its  study  is  diffi- 
cult, they  generally  postpone  it  indefinitely. 

It  seems,  however,  hardly  reasonable  to  limit  it  to  any  definite  age; 
a  child  who  is  intelligent  enough  to  learn  to  play  well  can  also  under- 
stand how  the  pedal  should  be  used.  A  certain  tact  should  be  observed 
by  the  teacher ;  no  rule  should  be  given  but  the  one  appropriate  to  the 
passage  in  question,  and  as  different  cases  arise  different  rules  can  be 
applied  until  the  child  gradually  masters  the  varying  uses  of  the  pedal. 

Very  young  children  have  the  disadvantage  of  not  being  able  to 
reach  the  pedal  with  ease;  in  the  effort  they  make  to  place  the  foot  upon 
it  the  body  is  thrown  out  of  position,  so  that  a  correct  manner  of  playing 
is  impossible.  To  obviate  this  difficulty  the  author  has  devised  a  pedal 
stool.  This  consists  of  an  ordinary  stool  with  two  holes  in  the  upper 
board,  the  space  between  them  corresponding  to  the  distance  between  the 


THE  PEDALS  OF  THE  PIANO-FORTE.  99 

two  pedals;  through  these  holes  two  pegs  are  passed,  which  rest  upon 
the  pedals.  For  greater  convenience  the  pegs  are  capped,  in  order  to 
present  a  broader  surface  to  the  foot,  and  to  prevent  all  unsteadiness  they 
pass  through  similar  apertures  in  a  second  board  below.  In  these  boards 
notches  are  made  corresponding  to  the  pedal  wires  so  tbat  they  can  be 
brought  close  to  the  lyre.  A  practical  experience  has  proved  that  by 
means  of  this  simple  contrivance  the  use  of  the  pedal  is  rendered  prac- 
ticable to  even  very  young  pupils. 

Without  accurate  signs  for  its  use  the  study  of  the  pedal  is  at  first 
inevitably  tedious  to  all  pupils,  both  young  and  old.  It  may  not,  however, 
be  denied  that  it  can  be  taught  even  under  such  a  disadvantage,  as 
experience  has  shown,  but  it  certainly  demands  a  more  than  ordinary 
talent  to  use  all  the  refinements  of  which  examples  have  been  given. 
This  is  by  no  means  tantamount  to  agreeing  with  those  who  say:  "He 
who  has  talent  uses  the  pedal  well;  he  who  has  none  uses  it  badly." 
Talent  alone  does  not  suffice  in  gaining  a  complete  knowledge  of  all 
possible  pedal  effects.  Even  the  most  gifted  cannot  of  himself  exhaust 
all  the  possibilities  of  his  art;  genius  itself  develops  more  rapidly  when 
it  assumes  the  experience  of  others  as  its  birthright, — or,  in  other  words, 
seeks  instruction.  The  artistic  use  of  the  pedal  can  certainly  be  taught, 
and  tbat  this  work  may  largely  contribute  to  this  end  is  the  earnest  hope 
of  the  author.  The  pupil  should  possess  not  only  talent  but  zeal  and 
industry  as  well;  talent  is  not  the  only  factor  which  leads  to  the  goal. 

Therefore,  instead  of  saying,  "  He  who  has  talent  uses  the  pedal 
well,"  let  us  say,  "He  who  uses  the  pedal  well  has  talent." 


Wtn    H.  h  eyser  <&»  Co.,  Phila. ,  Pa. 


STORIES  OF  STANDARD  TEACHING  PIECES 

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By  EDWARD  BAXTER  PERRY 
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60 


Modern  Progressive  Logical 

BEGINNER'S  BOOK  FOR 
PIANO 

By  THEO.  PRESSER  PRICE,  75  CENTS 

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